Research Methods: Observational Techniques Flashcards
What is a naturalistic observation?
Watching and recording behaviour in the setting that it would naturally occur in.
What is a controlled observation?
Watching and recording behaviour within a structured environment e.g. some variables are managed.
What is a covert observation?
Participants behaviour is watched and recorded WITHOUT their knowledge or consent.
What is an overt observation?
Participants behaviour is watched and recorded WITH their knowledge and consent.
What is participant observation?
The researcher becomes a member of the group whose behaviour they are watching and recording.
What is non-participant observation?
The researcher remains outside of the group whose behaviour they are watching and recording.
Give a strength and limitation of natural and controlled observations (they are categorised together):
Strength:
- NO often have higher ecological validity as findings can be generalised to everyday life.
- COs allow for CVs and EVs to be controlled- allowing for easier replication.
Limitation:
- The lack of control over NO makes replication difficult , and allows for the presence of CVs and EVs.
- CO lack ecological validity so findings cannot be generalised to everyday life.
Give a strength and limitation of overt and covert observations (they are categorised together):
Strength:
- In a CO Ps not knowing they are being watched removes demand characteristics and ensures identified behaviour is natural, increasing internal validity.
- OO are more ethically acceptable as individuals have gave their informed consent.
Limitation:
- In a CO there is the presence of ethical issues as individuals may not wish to have their behaviour recorded.
- In OO informed consent may mean that individuals may perform unnatural behaviour as they know it is being watched and recorded.
Give a strength and limitation of participant and non participant observations (they are categorised together):
Strength:
- In POs the researcher can experience the situation as the participants do, giving them increased insight into the lives of people being studied, increasing the ecological validity of the findings.
- NPOs allow for the researcher to obtain an objective distance from the Ps so there is less of a risk of adopting their attitudes.
Limitation:
- In POs the researcher may identify too strongly with those they are studying and loose objectivity, with the line between being a researcher and a participant becoming blurred.
- In NPOs the researcher may loose valuable insight into the people and the behaviour they are studying as they are too far removed from the Ps.
What are unstructured observations?
- Researcher writes down everything they see.
- Produces accounts of behaviour rich in detail.
- Appropriate in small-scale observations and involve only a few participants.
What are structured observations?
- Researcher identifies target behaviours that are the main focus of the investigation.
What are behavioural categories?
- When a target behaviour is broken down into components that are observable and measurable.
- Allows for data to be more structured and objective- the categories must be unambiguous and clear, and not require further interpretation.
- Researchers should ensure that all possible forms of target behaviours are included, and that there is not a ‘dustbin’ category that other behaviour is put into.
What is event sampling?
- When a target behaviour or event is first established then the researcher records this event every time it occurs.
- Useful when a target behaviour or event occurs infrequently and could be missed if time sampling was used.
What is time sampling?
- When a target individual or group is first established then the researcher records their behaviour in a fixed time frame e.g. every 60 seconds.
- Effective in reducing the number of observations that are made e.g. if they occur very frequently.
Give a strength and limitation for structured and unstructured observations:
Strength:
- SO involve the use of behavioural categories, making the recording of data easier and more systematic.
- SO data is often quantitative, meaning that analysing and comparing obersved behaviour between Ps is more straight-forward.
- UO collect qualitative data that is rich in details.
Limitations:
- UO has a greater risk of observer bias as there are no behavioural categories- researchers may only note behaviours that ‘catch their eye’.
