A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

What issue regarding observation was noted in Bandura et al (1961)?

1. Children were not aware of their participation

2. Behaviors were observed overtly

3. Behavior was observed covertly

4. Observations were recorded inaccurately

The correct answer is: Behavior was observed covertly

In the study conducted by Bandura et al. in 1961, the researchers focused on the impact of observing aggressive behavior in models on children's subsequent behavior. The essence of this observation was the idea of children witnessing aggressive actions in a controlled environment and how such exposure influenced their actions. In this context, the fact that behavior was observed covertly means that children's reactions were recorded without their direct awareness of being part of the study process. This is important because it ensures that the children’s behavior was natural and not influenced by their awareness of being observed, adding validity to the findings. This methodological approach allows researchers to gauge genuine responses and interactions, which are critical for understanding learned behaviors. While the other options highlight important aspects of the study’s methodology or participants' awareness, the focus on covert observation directly aligns with the aim of capturing authentic data on children's responses to observed behavior from the models in the experimental setup.