Observation Flashcards
1
Q
Participant observation
A
- researcher joins the group or community they’re studying and participates in its activities
- tries to become an accepted part of the group to gain insight into how members see the world
2
Q
Example of covert participant observation - Venkatesh ‘Gang Leader for a Day’ (2009)
A
- spent 18 months over a period of 7 years participating in the life of a Chicago crack-dealing gang
- gained insights into the lives of gang members and others linked to the crack selling business
- gang members did not know he was a sociologist
- got protection form a gang leader he befriended
- observed much violence and illegal activities and participated in some violence
3
Q
Example of covert participation research - Humphries ‘The Tea Room Trade’ (1970)
A
- wanted to study gay subculture
- observed sexual activity in public toilets
- adopted a covert role as a ‘gay voyeur’ and a lookout for police interference
- became accepted into community by visiting gay bars etc, and was able to interview some
- noted car numbers to do follow up research a year later (in disguise) into the health of the gay men
4
Q
Example of covert participant observation - James Patrick ‘A Glasgow Gang Observed’ (1973
A
- used his acquaintance ‘Tim’ to get into the gang and for protection
- studied a violent and delinquent teenage gang for 4 months
- published under a pseudonym and faced threats to his personal safety after publishing
5
Q
Stages of participant observation
A
- getting in
- staying in
- getting out
6
Q
Overt role definition
A
one whereby the researcher reveals to the group being studied their true identity and purpose
7
Q
Covert role definition
A
one where the researcher conceals from the group being studied their true identity as a researcher, to gain access to the group and avoid disrupting its normal behaviour
8
Q
Stages of participant observation: Getting in
A
- covert role may be adopted when studying criminal behaviour
- with a covert role, researchers have to become a full participant in the group to avoid detection (may be unpleasant activities) and they need to be careful about notes and asking questions
- moral and ethical concerns about deceiving people to observe and report on their lives
- overt roles may lack access to inner knowledge and may not be trusted (‘outsider’)
- overt role makes it easier to take notes and ask questions, and avoid participating in immoral research
- overt observation may affect people’s behaviour
- need access to group - may form connections with key members to get in
- may need permission from authorities (eg Willis got headteacher’s permission)
9
Q
Stages of participant observation: Staying in
A
- need to maintain trust of the group (may have to do immoral activities if covert) eg Venkatesh participated in violence
10
Q
Stages of participant observation: Getting out
A
- need to leave group without damaging relationships
- need to be detached enough to write an impartial and accurate account, maintaining anonymity for group members
- may be reprisals for publishing work - eg threats against Patrick
11
Q
Advantages of participant observation
A
- first-hand knowledge of the group being studied
- verstehen and validity
- allows a hypothesis to emerge as the research happens
- best way to see meanings that a social activity has for those involved is to see it through their eyes
- may be the only possible method (eg of researching criminal gangs)
- people can be studied in their normal social situation for a long period of time
12
Q
Disadvantages of participant observation
A
- no way of checking findings (lack of validity)
- not reliable as cannot repeat
- dependent on researcher’s interpretations
- may produce the Hawthorne Effect
- danger of ‘going native’ - developing loyalty to the group and seeing the world only as they do, affecting how findings are reported
- time-consuming and expensive
- only studies a small group
- may be ethical issues with covert observation and with knowing about crimes but not reporting them
- research may be personally difficult or put researchers into danger - Venkatesh had a gun held to his head and was kept captive for 24 hours as the gang thought he was a member of a rival gang, Humphries was arrested during his research
13
Q
Example of overt participant observation - William Foote Whyte ‘Street Corner Society’ (1955)
A
- study of an Italian-American street corner gang
- 3.5 years with the gang, including living with them
- became a gang member but they knew he was researching
- gang leader told him that his presence was affecting the gang’s behaviour
- befriended gang leader ‘Doc’ to get in
14
Q
Reliability and validity in participant observation
A
- data is rarely quantified and is unreliable
- depends heavily on researcher so can’t be replicated
- selective observation - researchers interpretation of what is important
- overt observers can use notes to accumulate evidence to make research more valid
- covert observers are reliant on memory
15
Q
Non participant observation
A
- mainly done to reduce the risk that people will be affected by the presence of a researcher or a new member of the group
- may be used when a group is unwilling to cooperate with research
- allows sociologists to observe people in their normal social situation
- can avoid the Hawthorne effect if people are unaware they’re being observed - if the observer is present then there is still a risk of it
- can be done without participants’ knowledge from a distance, through one-way glass, with cameras etc
- does not allow the researcher to investigate meanings that people attach to behaviour
- data may reflect assumptions, interpretations and views of the researcher (issues with reliability and validity)
