Prepare for the A Level Psychology Exam with our quiz. Access flashcards, multiple choice questions, and detailed explanations to enhance your study experience and boost your confidence.

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


In Phase 3, how were children observed while playing with the toys?

  1. Through a webcam

  2. Through a one-way mirror

  3. In pairs with an observer

  4. By video recording

The correct answer is: Through a one-way mirror

In Phase 3 of the relevant study, children were observed while playing with the toys through a one-way mirror. This method is particularly effective as it allows researchers to watch participants in a natural setting without influencing their behavior. The presence of a one-way mirror means that the children can engage in play without being aware that they are being observed, thus helping to reduce demand characteristics and increasing the validity of the observations. Using a one-way mirror ensures that the play is spontaneous, and the interactions among the children are genuine and reflective of their natural behaviors. This observational technique is widely utilized in psychological research as it allows for unobtrusive monitoring, which is essential for obtaining authentic data about children’s social interactions and behaviors during play. Other methods, like webcam or video recording, could introduce different variables or alter the children’s behavior due to the awareness of being recorded. Therefore, observing through a one-way mirror provides the most accurate insight into the children's interactions with the toys and with each other during the study.