If Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment proposes that aggressive behaviour can be learnt via observational learning, how come there are no stronger links between violent games/movies and violent behaviour?

Question

So, social psychologist Albert Bandura performed a couple of experiments in the 1960s, and he proposed that aggressive behaviour can be learnt. Basically, in experimental group he had kids watch an adult physically and verbally assault a Bobo doll. Kids in control group watched an adult play with other toys while the Bobo doll was left untouched. Then, kids from both groups played with some toys from a different room, until they were no longer allowed (this was done to build up frustration). Instead they were offered to play with toys in a room, where the Bobo doll and some other toys were. The results concluded that kids in experimental group showed more aggressive behaviour towards the Bobo doll. In a different experiment he also concluded that aggressive behaviour can be learnt trough cartoons or movies. [Here’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobo_doll_experiment) a link to a more detailed explanation.

So my question is, how is it possible that there are apparently no newer and stronger links between violent games/movies and violent behaviour, especially since games/movies are getting more realistic?

In: Other

Answer 1

If you look at the ratings system for movies and games, and the shows that are being broadcast “for kids” in the morning, you’ll see that they don’t include the type of violence used in this study. So, basically, as a society, we try to not show that stuff to kids, and block access to violence until they’re older and more capable of understanding all the ramifications, and the difference between games and reality.

Also, for adults, the whole idea behind sports and games is to discharge “violence” and stress in settings that are not real and/or have rules behind them. You have a bit of anger, adrenaline, stress, whatever, play a game or a sport to discharge it instead of looking for real fights with other people.

So, TLDR, the experiment shows that aggressive behavior can be learned from observation, but we don’t present children with games/movies at an age when they’re *learning*, we present them much later, AFTER they’ve learned from parents and through school that violence is NOT ok. So sports and games become a way to “discharge” adrenaline / stress without having to perform actual violence.