Observations Flashcards
(18 cards)
What is an observation?
Involves looking at something and recording data
Who is more likely to use observations?
Interpretivists
What is ethnography?
A word meaning participant observation.
What are the two main types of observations?
Non-participant observations - the researcher does not join in with any activities being studied.
Participant observations - the researcher joins in and becomes part of the group.
What are the strengths and limitations of participation observation?
Strengths
✨Participant observations gets the researcher right to where the action is so they can check out the dynamics of a group from close up.
✨Allows you to research the workings of deviant groups
✨If covert, people can’t mislead the researcher.
Limitations
✨Reseacher may become too involved and find it hard to stand back and objectively observe the group.
✨Overt research may influence behaviour of the group
✨Can’t repeat the research, lacks reliability
✨Ethical and practical problems for getting in, staying in and getting out of the group
✨Hard work, time-consuming and expensive
✨Includes a small group so not representative of the whole population
What are the strengths and limitations of non-participant observations?
Strengths
✨The researcher is not drawn into the group so they can be more objjective about the groups behaviour
Limiations
✨Researching outside the group stops you from getting to where the action is
✨May influence the behaviour of the group.
What are overt observations?
The research makes their true identity and purpose known to those being studied.
What are covert observations?
The study is carried out ‘under cover’ Te researchers real identity and purpose are kept concealed from the group being studied.
What are practical strengths and limitations of covert observations?
Strengths
✨Access
✨Subject Matter
Limitations
✨Time
✨Personal Skills - adapt to the role
✨Cost
What are the ethical strengths and limitations of covert observations?
Strengths
✨No strengths
Limitations
✨Deception
✨Vulnerability groups
✨No consent
✨Social Harm
What are the theoretical strengths and limitations of covert participant observations?
Strengths
✨Representitive
✨Validity
Limitations
✨Reliability
✨Can’t make generalised
What are practical strengths and limitations of overt participant observation?
Strengths
✨Can record information openly
✨Flexible
Limitations
✨Research Opportunity
What are ethical strengths and limitations of overt participant observation?
Strengths
✨Avoids ethical problems
What are the theoretical strengths and limitations of overt participant observations?
Strengths
✨Reliabilty (slightly)
✨Validity (slightly)
Limitations
✨Risks influencng behaviour of subject.
Conducting a participant observation study.
Step 1 - Getting In
✨Must gain entry into the group
✨Make initial contact - will depend on personal skills/having right connections/chance.
✨Need to win trust/acceptance
Conducting a Participant Observation
Step 2 - Staying in
✨Once accepted they need to stay in to complete the study
✨Can be difficult for some to be involved, observe and remain detached (un-bias)
✨Overidentifying (going native) is where they beome over involved and bias
Conducting a Participant Observation
Step 3 - Getting Out
✨Concluding the study and finishing research - much easier than getting in
✨Leaves and stops identifying with group
✨Re-entering normal wor can be difficult - loyalty may prevent researcher from sharing too much information about group.
What is the Hawthorne Effect?
Those who know that they are being observed so may behave differently.
