Asignment 2 - Alternate

Bandura's experiment with Bobo doll proves that children are prone to modeling behavior witnessed by adults, including those on television. I think one of the earliest behaviors I learned from television was to read books, though I did not learn it from an adult, or even a human being. The eponymous Jack Russell Terrier from "Wishbone" taught me all about book and the great stories and lessons I could learn if I read them. Most of the shows I watched in my youth were cartoons, and lots of them were adventure based. The most demonstrable behaviors I think I would have gained from watching those only appeared at recess in whatever imaginary game my friends and I were dreaming up. I remember lots of sword fights and shootouts. I believe I was affected more in my way of thinking than in my way of acting by all the cartoons I watched. All the adventures I watched and read about have given me a flare for dramatic moments. I identified with more intellectual characters, which prompted me to increase my vocabulary and to use bigger words. I had to tone it down a bit when my friends started telling me they couldn't understand what I was saying.

Eventually, I did grow out of cartoons, although I don't know that I really learned any more behaviors until "House" started airing in 8th or 9th grade. Hugh Laurie's portrayal of Dr. Greg House had an interesting affect on me. Here was the intellectual character that I usually identified with who employed dry humor, my favorite, to make me and other viewers laugh, yet people on the show didn't really like him. As the show has gone on, his character has been probed and dissected to show his inner misery. So, at the same time I am drawn to this character I am simultaneously repulsed by others' perception of him. I still enjoy his dry wit and sarcastic dialogue, and I also enjoy attempting to analyze people in the way that he does.

In my experience, people are more likely to model behaviors by funny, likable characters because those are the popular characters on TV, and more than anything else these days, people want to be popular and socially accepted. On the flipside, people are reluctant to act like unlikable characters because they are aware of how they are treated within the confines of their show. In many instances, including my own, evil characters or bad guys, depending on their development, are often seen as cool or interesting characters, yet nobody tries to be the bad guy in real life because they watch the character experience their punishment or comeuppance. Essentially, people choose to model behavior that is socially rewarding.