Observations

Question 1

What are observations?

Answer 1

NOT AN EXPERIMENT

Observes behavoir

No IV manipulation

Complex interactions studied in natural way

Question 2

Name the types of observations:

Answer 2

6 types:

Naturalistic (natural setting)

Controlled (some V controlled + environ)

Covert- WITHOUT knowledge

Overt- WITH knowledge

PPTS- researcher involves in group

Non- PPT researcher outside group

Question 3

Do the observation types have internal validity?

Answer 3

NATURALISTIC: ❌️, EX variables

CONTROLLED: ✅️ EX V’s avoided

COVERT: ✅️, anaware, so act natural

OVERT: ❌️, know being watched so act unnatural

PPT: ✅️- has greater insight

NON-PPT: ❌️, lose insight

Question 4

Do they have external validity?

Answer 4

NATURALISTIC: HIGH in environ it would occur- generalised to everyday life

CONTROLLED: LOW artificial environ= not applicable

ALL OTHERS N/A

Question 5

Any ethical issues?

Answer 5

COVERT: HIGH as unaware they’re being watched

OVERT: LOW as know being watched/ recorded

ALL OTHERS N/A if guidelines followed

Question 6

Are the observation types reliable?

Answer 6

NATURALISTIC: ❌️ as no control so hard to repeat

CONTROLLED: ✅️ as controlled environ

ALL OTHERS N/A as relys on PPTS

Question 7

Are they prone to demand characteristics?

Answer 7

NATURALISTIC: NO as in natural setting, less clues

CONTROLLED: YES as more clues in artificial situation

COVERT: NO as unaware of situation

OVERT: YES as aware of experiment

ALL OTHERS N/A as on researcher not PPTS

Question 8

Is there objectivity? (Are the researchers opinion free?)

Answer 8

PPT: ❌️ as they become more involved in the group, they lose objectivity

NON- PPT: ✅️ not becoming a part of the group = opinion free

ALL OTHERS N/A as not on researcher