Observational Techniques

Question 1

naturalistic observation

Answer 1

an observation carried out in an unaltered setting in which the observer does not interfere in any way and merely observes the behaviour as it happens normally

Question 2

controlled observation

Answer 2

conducted under strict conditions, where extraneous variables are controlled

Question 3

covert observation

Answer 3

observing people without their knowledge

Question 4

overt observation

Answer 4

where the participants know/are aware that they are being observed

Question 5

participant observation

Answer 5

where the person who is conducting the observation also takes part in the activity being observed

Question 6

non-participant observation

Answer 6

where the person who is conducting the observation does not participate in the activity being observed

Question 7

strengths of controlled observations

Answer 7

-variables can be controlled to establish causality
-research can be replicated to check for reliability

Question 8

weakness of controlled observation

Answer 8

low ecological validity

Question 9

strength of naturalistic observation

Answer 9

high ecological validity

Question 10

weakness of naturalistic observation

Answer 10

-lack of control over extraneous variables
-lacks replicability

Question 11

strengths of participant observation

Answer 11

-greater insight into behaviour being observed
-unlikely to overlook any behaviours only seen up close

Question 12

weakness of participant observation

Answer 12

-may be too involved to record data as they can’t step back
-may lead to researcher bias as they lose objectivity

Question 13

strengths of non-participant observation

Answer 13

-observers are objective and can stand back
-can record data more easily

Question 14

weakness of non-participant observation

Answer 14

likely to affect the situation just by their presence

Question 15

strength of covert observation

Answer 15

high validity due to participants unaware and therefore behaving normally (investigator effects unlikely)

Question 16

weakness of covert observation

Answer 16

often go against ethical guidelines (no informed consent nor exercise the right to withdraw)

Question 17

strength of overt observation

Answer 17

ethical: can gain informed consent and the right to withdraw can be given

Question 18

weakness of overt observation

Answer 18

possibility of investigator effects (participants may act unnaturally)

Question 19

behavioural categories

Answer 19

breaking the target behaviour up to be precisely defined, and more observable and measurable

Question 20

event sampling

Answer 20

where an observer records the number of times that the target behaviour occurs, for the duration of the observation

Question 21

time sampling

Answer 21

where an observer records behaviour at pre-established intervals

Question 22

inter-observer reliability

Answer 22

the extent to which two or more observers are observing and recording behaviour in the same way

Question 23

strengths of event sampling

Answer 23

-useful when a target behaviour happens infrequently
-every behaviour in the theory will be counted for the duration

Question 24

limit to event sampling

Answer 24

-if complex, observer may miss important details if numerous happen at once, or if noting down

Question 25

strength of time sampling

Answer 25

reduces the number of observations that have to be made

Question 26

limits to time sampling

Answer 26

-results may be unrepresentative of what really happened in the observation
-not every behaviour of relevance will be counted if it occurs between the allocated time frames