Evaluation

Question 1

What was the research method?

Answer 1

Laboratory

Question 2

What was the strengths of the research method?

Answer 2

• increase replicability
• good control extraneous variables. Establish cause and effect (one groups kids could be more aggressive. Instead kids rated before experiment)

Question 3

What are the weaknesses of the research method?

Answer 3

• observational techniques (measure behaviour) may be affected by observer bias through steps taken (observers didn’t know which condition child in)
• demand characteristics as kids knew their behaviour was observed

Question 4

What was the design?

Answer 4

Matched pairs design

Question 5

What were the strengths of the design?

Answer 5

Kids matched by aggression levels to prevent bias

Question 6

What were the weaknesses of the design?

Answer 6

• time consuming to rate all kids before experiment and match them in groups
• aggressiveness rated by teacher so may not be accurate
• can’t control all variables. Emotional stability of child (may have witnessed aggression in past) or background of child

Question 7

What were the strengths of the sample group?

Answer 7

Pps all children so showed how easily youngsters imitate adult models

Question 8

What were the weaknesses of the sample group?

Answer 8

• children more influenced by behaviour aggressive model. Can’t generalise to explain effect on adults.
• middle class children may be less exposed to aggressive models in everyday life so could be more affected than other children.
• children could live in less violent society’s so could be less willing to be aggression. Can’t assume findings to generalise other culture groups.
• not enough pps in each condition (6)
• same school so could have similar characteristics

Question 9

What are the strengths of quantitate data?

Answer 9

Number aggressive behaviour counted so easy to compare 2 experimental groups and see those who exposed to aggressive models are more aggressive

Question 10

What are the weaknesses to quantitive data?

Answer 10

Data gives no explanation why they imitate the behaviour

Question 11

What does the qualitative data show?

Answer 11

Kinds of imitation made were recorded. Showed kids imitated acts aggression but also generally more aggressive. Shows social learning leads to more than just imitation of specific acts

Question 12

What are the ethical problems?

Answer 12

Informed consent. Consent from parents not kids. May when older wish they weren’t used

Protection from harm. No attempt to remove aggressiveness after experiment.

Should have been debriefed as they were observed in a private place. Don’t expect to be observed