The Bobo Doll Experiment: How Children Learn Violence from Watching Adults
In 1961, psychologist Albert Bandura conducted an experiment that would revolutionize our understanding of how children learn—and reveal something disturbing about human behavior. He invited preschool children to watch an adult interact with a room full of toys. In one corner sat a 5-foot inflatable clown doll called “Bobo.” It was weighted at the bottom so it would bounce back when hit. The children watched through a one-way mirror. They didn’t know they were being observed. ...