A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

Which group showed very few aggressive behaviors according to Bandura et al (1961)?

1. Non-aggressive group

2. Control group

3. Both non-aggressive and control groups

4. Aggressive group

The correct answer is: Both non-aggressive and control groups

The correct response indicates that both the non-aggressive group and the control group exhibited very few aggressive behaviors. This finding aligns with Bandura et al.'s research, which aimed to examine the impact of observational learning on aggression. In the study, the non-aggressive group was exposed to a model who displayed non-aggressive behavior, and as a result, the children were less likely to imitate aggression. The control group, which did not receive any exposure to a modeled behavior, also displayed minimal aggression, indicating that without exposure to aggressive models, children would generally show lower levels of such behavior. The findings underscore Bandura's social learning theory, highlighting that behaviors are learned through observation and imitation. Therefore, when children are not exposed to aggressive behaviors—whether through specific non-aggressive modeling or simply not being exposed—they tend to exhibit fewer aggressive behaviors overall.