Step-by-step explanation:
Albert Bandura, a prominent psychologist known for his social learning theory, would likely explain these findings using option 4: "The aggressive behaviors are a result of imitation."
Bandura's social learning theory emphasizes the role of observational learning and modeling in the acquisition of behaviors. In the context of teenagers watching violent TV, here's how this explanation would apply:
- Teenagers observe aggressive behaviors and violence on television.
- They may identify with the characters or individuals they see on TV and imitate their actions.
- Through this process of imitation, they may adopt and replicate aggressive behaviors they have witnessed.
- Bandura's theory also suggests that reinforcement and punishment play a role. If they perceive that aggressive acts on TV lead to positive outcomes or are rewarded, they may be more likely to imitate them.
In essence, Bandura's theory highlights how individuals, including teenagers, can learn behaviors, including aggressive ones, by observing and imitating the actions of others, especially when those behaviors are portrayed as socially acceptable or even rewarded in the media they consume.