Abstract not found

The primary purpose of the present experiment was to determine if model characteristics influence observer performance by exerting their prime influence on the attentional phase of observational learning as predicted by Bandura (1969). A second purpose was to determine whether model characteristics affected actual amount learned or whether merely performance levels were affected by this manipulation. There were two experimental phases. During phase one, model status [High or Low) and time of cueing (Pre or Post Demonstration) were manipulated to test performance and attentional effects of model characteristics. During phase two, subjects were offered an incentive before performance trials in an attempt to make a learning versus performance distinction. Phase one results indicated the subjects viewing a high status model performed better than subjects viewing a low status model. The lack of any signficanL cueing effect suggested that model characteristics did not exert their prime influence on the attentional stage of observational learning. There were no group differences during phase two suggesting that performance but not actual amount learned was affected by the model status manipulation.