Qual- Observations Flashcards
(33 cards)
5 types of observation
1) Covert
2) Overt
3) participant
4) non-participant
5) structured
6) ethnography
7) field diary
Humphrey’s- CP
Study of homosexuals “toilets”
- covert/p
- systematic structures observation
• deeper insights
• follow up interviews
X ethical- unaware
X lack of informed consent
X privacy
Mayo onp
Improve worker’s productivity
- Hawthorne effect
- solution to blend in
X validity reduced- not natural behaviour
X didn’t achieve productivity
Hargreaves onp
Social relations in secind art school sat at back of room
- more if a p role Bs revealed more
X perceive to inspector
X Ts behaved differently
Foot Whyte- cpo
Doc- gang leader new his identity
street groups and The Norton Street Gang
- not solely interview basis
- ask Qs he wouldn’t have had the sense to ask
X people were unnerved
X deception, informed consent
X impractical- time
OPO- What was Barker studying?
The Moonies n unification of the church to understand the brain washing and bad name
- 1 year period
What were the advantages of Barkers study?
- became fully involved in the Moonies lives
- avoided going native by keeping a diary
- increased her validity
What were the disadvantages of Barkers study?
X impractical
X took more than 2 years to make the first contact
X spent a year studying them
PO- What was Patrick studying?
- discovering gang violence in Scotland
- introduced as his student Tim’s relative
- small age gap
- differences in accent and dialect
What were the advantages of Patrick’s study?
- Tim was his gatekeeper
- access gang group
- in-depth detail
What were the disadvantages of Patrick’s study?
X own safety was at risk
X struggling fitting into the group
X deception, informed consent
Ethnographic approach- Venkatesh?
- used unstructured interviews
- walked into one of Chicago’s toughest housing projects to study lives of residents
- styles himself as a rogue sociologist
What are the advantages of Venkatesh’s study?
- maintained enough distance to appraise distance to appraise the information he is given
What are the disadvantages of Venkatesh’s study?
X unsafe could cause him harm
X fails to gauge the feeling of the project residents about the Black Kings as he was perceived as going native
X befriended gang leader
What are the 3 issues with participant observations?
1) getting in
2) staying in
3) getting out
Getting In
- Patrick gained access because he taught a gang member
X Griffin- turned skin black through sun lamps n medication
X changed his racial ethnicity
Staying in
- ‘going native’ and losing objectivity
- become bias and identify as part of the group
Examples of staying in
Barker- kept a diary to remain objective
X Whyte started as a non participant observer and ended as a non observing participant
3 problems faced with getting out
1- loyalty to the group
2- publishing research and details of the group
3- re-entering reality
What is an example study of getting out
Patrick ended his research early because he could not face the violence the group carried out
Pros of Overt Observations
- avoids ethical issues- no deceitful lying and gaining info without consent
- ask more Qs without fear of jeopardising research
- taken notes open and freely
- check if interpretation of individual is accurate
Cons of Overt observations
X refusal and rejection to group
X Hawthorne Effect (invalid)
e.g. Hargreaves social relationships in secondary schools
X Time consuming to gain trust and establish relationship
X NOT practical
Strengths of Covert Observations
- reduces risk of Hawthorne effect- Humphries
- gatekeeper to homosexual behaviour, no other way of studying it
- easier to gain access to certain groups- deviant
- less time consuming trying to fit in
Weaknesses of Covert Observations
X ‘keep up the act’
X cannot get ‘cover blown’
X Patrick- cash not credit, axe in fight
X cannot take notes openly and freely
Festinger- took notes in toilets had to rely on memory
X arouse suspicion by asking Qs
X Hawthorne effect to new member
X Immoral, illegal activity
X morally, report illegal behaviour
X Ethical- deceit, consent, lying
