Final answer:
Controlled laboratory research on observational learning of aggression requires participants to observe aggressive models. This aspect of observational learning was researched by Bandura through his Bobo doll study, demonstrating that children are likely to imitate aggressive actions they've observed.
Step-by-step explanation:
Controlled laboratory research on observational learning of aggression requires participants to observe aggressive models and then receive the opportunity to act aggressively. This approach was illustrated in the famous Bobo doll study conducted by Albert Bandura and his colleagues. In this experiment, children who observed an adult model act aggressively toward a Bobo doll were more likely to imitate the aggressive actions. The adult's behavior served as an example which the children paid attention to, retained, and reproduced, showcasing the process and impact of observational learning.
Observational learning, as defined by Bandura, comprises several steps: attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. These steps must be followed for the learned behavior to be demonstrated successfully. Vicarious punishment and vicarious reinforcement are critical aspects influencing whether an observer will choose to imitate the behavior they have witnessed.
The capacity for individuals, notably children, to learn aggressive behaviors through observation underscores the importance of this type of learning in shaping social behaviors and has implications for understanding phenomena such as the intergenerational transmission of abuse and the influence of media violence on behavior.