Observation

Question 1

What is a research aim?

Answer 1

The concept that the researcher wants to investigate

Question 2

What are the 5 key questions of observation?

Answer 2

Who
What
Where
When
How

Question 3

What is an unstructured observation?

Answer 3

non-focused, generating descriptions of the range of behaviours going on

Question 4

What is a structured observation?

Answer 4

where the observation of behaviour is guided by the use of specific behavioural categories - coding frame

Question 5

What is a coding frame?

Answer 5

A table of the behavioural categories used in a observation

Question 6

What is a naturalistic observation?

Answer 6

Behaviour is studied in a natural situation where everything has been left as it is normally

Question 7

What is an advantage of naturalistic observations?

Answer 7

High ecological validity so more natural behaviours are seen

Question 8

What are two disadvantages of naturalistic observations?

Answer 8

risk of extraneous variables
difficult to see/accurately record data

Question 9

What are two disadvantages of controlled observations?

Answer 9

low ecological validity
risk of demand characteristics

Question 10

What are two advantages of controlled observations?

Answer 10

Easy to see and record the data
fewer extraneous variables

Question 11

What is a controlled observation?

Answer 11

An observations where some variables are controlled by the researcher

Question 12

What are three examples of naturalistic observations?

Answer 12

Piliavin
Freud
Chaney

Question 13

What are three examples of controlled observations?

Answer 13

Bandura
Milgram
Blakemore & Cooper

Question 14

What is a participant observation?

Answer 14

When the researcher is involved with those that are being observed

Question 15

What is a non-participant observation?

Answer 15

Where the researcher stands apart from what they’re observing and look at it from the ‘outside’

Question 16

What are two advantages of participant observations?

Answer 16

Good vantage point for your observations
Can get insight into the experience yourself and gather detailed information about the situation

Question 17

What are two disadvantages of participant observations?

Answer 17

Your presence may change the course of the events you are observing
You may become too involved in the group to be really objective about your observations

Question 18

What is one disadvantage of non-participant observations?

Answer 18

You may not have the same level of insight

Question 19

What are two advantages of participant observations?

Answer 19

You may remain more objective
reduces social desirability

Question 20

What are two examples of participant observations?

Answer 20

Piliavin
Bandura

Question 21

What are two examples of non-participant observations?

Answer 21

Bandura
Chaney
Freud

Question 22

What is a covert observation?

Answer 22

Where the participants are unaware that they are being observed

Question 23

What is a overt observation?

Answer 23

An observation where participants are aware that they are being observed

Question 24

What is an advantage of a covert observation?

Answer 24

Natural behaviour can be observed - sampling ‘real’ behaviour

Question 25

What are two disadvantages of a covert observation?

Answer 25

Raises ethical issues as cannot get participants' consent and it invades their privacy Can be difficult to record data without drawing attention to yourself

Question 26

What is a disadvantage of an overt observation?

Answer 26

Participant may not display 'natural' behaviour if they become aware of being observed - may respond to demand characteristics

Question 27

What are two advantages of an overt observation?

Answer 27

Fewer ethical issues raised as informed consent can be gained Easier to record data as can be quite open in tallying behaviours as they occur

Question 28

What is an example of a covert observation?

Answer 28

Piliavin

Question 29

What are three examples of overt observations?

Answer 29

Chaney Milgram Bandura

Question 30

What is event sampling?

Answer 30

The observer keeps count of each time a particular pre-determined behaviour occurs throughout the entire event

Question 31

What is time sampling?

Answer 31

When the time period is broken up into a series of time intervals, and records of behaviour are related to these time invervals

Question 32

What were the three types of time sampling?

Answer 32

One-Zero sampling Instantaneous scan sampling Predominant activity sampling

Question 33

What is one-zero sampling?

Answer 33

during each time interval, a record is made if the chosen behaviour occurs at all

Question 34

What is instantaneous scan sampling?

Answer 34

No records are made until the end of the time interval. At this instant a record is made of any behaviours that are occurring

Question 35

What is predominant activity sampling?

Answer 35

Observation is continuous and an estimate is made in relation to the activity that occupied most of the preceding time interval

Question 36

What are two advantages of event sampling?

Answer 36

Good for when behaviours are not frequent Don't miss key behaviours

Question 37

What are two disadvantages of event sampling?

Answer 37

Time consuming and difficult to keep concentration over a long period Can be difficult to record all behaviours if there is a lot going on

Question 38

What are two advantages of time sampling?

Answer 38

Can see a change in activity over a longer period of time Increases concentration and allows time to record data

Question 39

What is a disadvantage of time sampling?

Answer 39

can miss interesting data between the time points

Question 40

What is researcher/observer bias?

Answer 40

when an observer is more likely to record data in the way they expect (probably subconsciously) - thereby skewing the results

Question 41

What is the researcher/observer effect?

Answer 41

If the people being observed are aware of the observer watching them then it may result in the participants changing their behaviour and thus the data recorded not being a truly accurate representation of what individuals would do in the situation

Question 42

What are two benefits with getting an independent researcher to carry out the observation?

Answer 42

Unlikely to have demand characteristics unlikely to get observer bias or effect

Question 43

What is inter-rater reliability?

Answer 43

The extent to which all observers have similar findings