L2

Question 1

Non participant observation

Answer 1

Researcher doesn’t get involved with the interactions of the participants

Question 2

Non participant evaluation

Answer 2

(+) observer may be more objective
(+) observers record observations as they occur
(-) demand characteristics
(-) less mundane realism

Question 3

Participant observation

Answer 3

Researcher is directly involved with participants

Question 4

Participant observation evaluation

Answer 4

(+) researcher gains understanding of group members
(+) participants feel more comfortable when the researcher is involved
(-) researcher influence participant behaviour
(-) researcher loses objectivity
(-) hard to participate and take notes

Question 5

Covert observation

Answer 5

Psychologist goes undercover and doesn’t reveal their identity

Question 6

Covert observation evaluation

Answer 6

(+) high levels of validity
(+) mundane realism and ecological validity
(+) less demand characteristics
(-) no informed consent

Question 7

Overt observation

Answer 7

Psychologist reveals their identity so observer effects occur resulting in invalid results

Question 8

Overt observation evaluation

Answer 8

(+) participants can be informed and consent is obtained
(-) less mundane realism and ecological validity
(-) observer bias
(-) social desirability bias

Question 9

naturalistic observation

Answer 9

observes participants in their own natural environment and no deliberate manipulation of the IV

Question 10

Naturalistic observation evaluation

Answer 10

(+) participants are unaware they’re being observed so reduced observer effects
(+) high mundane realism, ecological validity so results are generalised
(+) useful when manipulation of IV is unethical
(-) can’t eliminate EV
(-) lack of control means cause and effect can’t be established
(-) risk of observer bias so observer may be subjective and bias toward interpreting behaviour

Question 11

Controlled observation

Answer 11

Researcher participates in a controlled environment so IV eliminated

Question 12

Controlled observation evaluation

Answer 12

(+) high control so cause and effect established
(+) EV controlled so results valid
(+) yield qualitative data inc validity
(-) low levels mundane realism and ecological validity so results may be inaccurate
(-) observer effect occur so participant show social desirability bias and may behave unnaturally
(-) risk observer bias so researcher own views can influence data

Question 13

Observer bias

Answer 13

Observer may observe behaviours they think meet their aims and hypothesis which influences data and makes it inaccurate

Question 14

Inter rater reliability

Answer 14

Have two observers compare data after experiment and if Kappa score is of +0.8 then data is reliable

Question 15

Event sampling

Answer 15

All other behaviours are ignored and only certain behaviours are recorded when they occur

Question 16

Time interval sampling

Answer 16

Observer observes behaviours during specified time periods and records occurrence of specified behaviour during period

Question 17

Pilot study

Answer 17

• small scale investigation of the procedures to be used in the main study
• few people selected and trialed before the main study to save time and money by identifying flaws
• helps researcher spot ambiguities
• useful to establish behavioural categories and check they’re suitable