Observation

Question 1

What is an observation

Answer 1

Researcher observes and records participants behaviour without changing any variables
+ more valid as we can directly observe behaviour
- subject to researcher bias so the researcher may only record behaviour in line with the hypothesis, time consuming and difficult to replicate

Question 2

Naturalistic/controlled observation

Answer 2

Naturalistic - natural situation, nothing from the environment is changed
+ high ecological validity, less chance of demand characteristics
- less control over extraneous variables decreasing internal validity
Controlled - artificial environment
+ control over extraneous variables increasing internal validity
- more chance of demand characteristics and observer effects

Question 3

Participant/non-participant observation

Answer 3

Participant - researcher is part of the experiment
+ greater understanding of behaviour
- lacks internal validity as results are subjective and researcher may ‘go native’
Non - participant - observer watches the behaviour outside of the group of participants
+ more objective
- less detailed is gathered and behaviours are missed

Question 4

What is ‘going native’

Answer 4

During a participant observation, where the researcher is part of the experiment, the researcher would become so immersed into the behaviour they are unable to make objective observations

Question 5

Covert/overt observation

Answer 5

Covert-researcher observes participants undercover
+ high ecological validity reducing observer effect
- no consent gained or right to withdraw from participants
Overt - participants know they are being observed
+ ethical as consent is gained
- observer effects lacking ecological validity

Question 6

Structured/unstructured observation

Answer 6

Structured - pre-determined checklist of behaviour to observe
+ easy to analyse and record and high inter-rather reliability
- limits detail gathered, missing behaviours
Unstructured - observes all behaviours seen
+ a lot of detail
- harder to analyse, chance of missing behaviour, low inter-rather reliability

Question 7

What is inter-rather reliability

Answer 7

Multiple observers watching the same behaviours independently.
Results are compared after.
Similar results = high inter-rather reliability

Question 8

Event/time sampling

Answer 8

Event - recording of a behaviour every time it occurs with a pre-determined checklist
+ less likely to miss behaviour, high internal validity
- difficult to record every behaviour if multiple behaviours occur at the same time
Time - recording behaviour at specific time intervals
+ easier to conduct and higher inter-rather reliability
-some behaviour will be missed so results are not representative

Question 9

what is a coding frame

Answer 9

allows qualitative to be turned into quantitative data