Observational designs Flashcards
What is observer bias?
When an observer’s reports are biased by what they expect to see
What is inter-rater reliability?
Reduces researcher bias by many independent researchers conducting the observational study, comparing reports and then calculating a score
How is inter-rater reliability calculated?
Total number of agreements/ total number of observations x100
What score shows high inter observer reliability?
above 80%
What is unstructured design?
continuous recording where the researcher writes everything they see during the observation
What is a strength of unstructured design?
deep, rich data
What is a limitation of unstructured design?
Produces qualitative data which is more difficult to record and analyse
More risk of observer bias eg only eye catching behaviour
What are behavioural catergories?
A target behaviour which is being observed is broken up into more precise components which are observable and measurable.
What is an example of a behavioural catergory?
Aggressive behaviour- shouting, punching, swearing
What is time sampling?
The recording of behaviour within a time frame that is pre-established before the observational study
What is a strength of time sampling?
Less time consuming as reduces number of observations to be made
What is a limitation of time sampling?
Small amount of data unrepresentative of the observation as a whole
What is event sampling?
The counting of the number of times a behaviour is carried out
What is a strength of event sampling?
Good for infrequent behaviours that are likely to be missed by time sampling
What is a limitation of event sampling?
The details of a complex behaviour are easily overlooked
Counting errors
Difficult to judge the beginning and end of a behaviour
