Observations

Question 1

What is a participant observation?

Answer 1

Where the researcher becomes part of the group to observe.

Question 2

What are the advantages of participant observations?

Answer 2

Researcher can gather more in depth ideas and data.

Question 3

What are the disadvantages of participants observations?

Answer 3

Researcher may become more subjective.

Question 4

What is a non-participant observation?

Answer 4

Researcher remains outside of the group to observe.

Question 5

What are the advantages of non-participants observations?

Answer 5

Researcher is less bias.

Question 6

What are the disadvantages of non-participants observations?

Answer 6

May not gain as much information.

Question 7

What is a covert observation?

Answer 7

Where the observer is not visible and participants are unaware they are being observed.

Question 8

What is an overt observation?

Answer 8

Where the participants are aware they are being observed and observer is visible.

Question 9

What are the advantages of covert observations?

Answer 9

Behaviour is more natural.

Question 10

What are the disadvantages of covert observations?

Answer 10

No informed consent gained, therefore deemed unethical.

Question 11

What are the advantages of overt observations?

Answer 11

Ethical as informed consent is gained beforehand.

Question 12

What are the disadvantages of overt observation?

Answer 12

Participants may change before through social desirability.

Question 13

What is a participant observation?

Answer 13

When researcher becomes part of the group they are observing.

Question 14

What is a non-participant observation?

Answer 14

Researcher remains outside of the group being observed.

Question 15

What are the advantages of participant observations?

Answer 15

Researcher can get in depth ideas and data.

Question 16

What are the disadvantages of participant observations?

Answer 16

Researcher may become subjective.

Question 17

What is an advantages of non-participants observations?

Answer 17

Researcher may be more objective.

Question 18

What is a disadvantage of non-participant observations?

Answer 18

May not gain information to such depth.

Question 19

What is a structured observation?

Answer 19

Researchers use systems to organise observations

Question 20

What are the advantages of structured observations?

Answer 20

Easier to record
Easier to replicate

Question 21

What are the disadvantages of structured interviews?

Answer 21

Information may be missed if doesn’t fit into a category

Question 22

What is an unstructed observation?

Answer 22

Researcher records all observations

Question 23

What are the advantages of unstructured interviews?

Answer 23

Detailed

Question 24

What are the disadvantages of unstructured observations?

Answer 24

Too much to record, may be missed
Open to researcher bias

Question 25

What is time sampling?

Answer 25

A pre-agreed schedule of when and how long the observation will take place Design behavioural categories of anticipated behaviours

Question 26

What is an advantage of time sampling?

Answer 26

Reduces number of observations

Question 27

What are the disadvantages of time sampling?

Answer 27

May be unrepresentative of observation as a whole

Question 28

What is event sampling?

Answer 28

Design behavioural categories of anticipated behaviours Tallying everytime a behavioural category is seen

Question 29

What is an example of behavioural categories?

Answer 29

When observing aggressive behaviour, the behavioural categories may be shouting, hitting and kicking

Question 30

How can we ensure inter-observer reliability within observations?

Answer 30

Observation should be carried out by at least more than two researchers

Question 31

What are the issues with validity within observations?

Answer 31

Observer bias Issues with the coding system

Question 32

How can observer bias be overcome within observations?

Answer 32

Having more than one observer Use a double blind technique

Question 33

How can issues with the coding system be reduced within observations?

Answer 33

Compare the catergories to similar observations already conducted