RM4- Observations

Question 1

operationalise

Answer 1

turning abstract concepts into measurable observations

Question 2

naturalistic observation

Answer 2

a qualitative research method where you record the behaviours of your subjects in real-world settings

Question 3

controlled observation

Answer 3

researchers watch participants in a controlled environment, e.g. in a laboratory

Question 4

overt observation

Answer 4

those being observed are aware of what they are being observed for

Question 5

covert observation

Answer 5

where the researcher is ‘undercover’ and the participants are unaware that they are being observed

Question 6

participant observation

Answer 6

the researcher is immersed in the day-to-day activities of the participants

Question 7

non-participant observation

Answer 7

observing participants without the researcher actively participating

Question 8

what are observations?

Answer 8

when researchers watch and record behaviours that they are interested in studying

Question 9

what are the two types of observations?

Answer 9

structured and unstructured

Question 10

what are structured interviews?

Answer 10

the researcher uses a predetermined behaviour coding sheet with operationalised behaviour categories that they think exemplify what behaviours they will see

Question 11

what are unstructured interviews?

Answer 11

the researcher doesn’t have a predetermined coding sheet but records all instances of behaviours

Question 12

in a naturalistic observation, what are aspects of the environment free to….

Answer 12

VARY
-most likely to be unstructured

Question 13

in a controlled observation, aspects of the environment are….

Answer 13

CONTROLLED by the researcher
-most likely to be structured

Question 14

AO3
are naturalistic observations high or low in ecological validity

Answer 14

high
-take place in natural settings
-behaviour is likely to be natural
-this reduces demand characteristics

Question 15

AO3
are naturalistic observations ethical?

Answer 15

ethical issues could arise
-ppts are studied in public, in a natural setting
-may not have given consent to be studied

Question 16

AO3
are naturalistic observations high or low in reliability?

Answer 16

low in reliability
-hard to implement standard procedures
-less control in natural setting
-hard to replicate

Question 17

AO3
are controlled observations high or low in ecological validity?

Answer 17

low in ecological validity
-take place in an artificial setting
-demand characteristics may show

Question 17

AO3
are ethical issues more or less likely in controlled observations?

Answer 17

less likely
-studied in artificial environment
-aware they are being studied

Question 18

AO3
are controlled observations high or low in reliability?

Answer 18

high in reliability
-use standard procedures
-easier to replicate

Question 19

describe overt observations

Answer 19

-participants are aware they are being studied
-they agree to participant before the research is conducted

Question 20

describe covert observations

Answer 20

-participants are not aware they are being studied
-observation occurs in public so they are visible to others

Question 21

AO3
are covert observations high or low in validity?

Answer 21

high
-ppts are unaware they are being observed
-demand characteristics are not shown

Question 22

AO3
do covert observations have ethical issues?

Answer 22

ppts are unaware they are being studied
-not give informed consent

Question 23

AO3
are overt observations high or low in validity?

Answer 23

low
-ppts are aware they are being observed
-demand characteristics may be shown

Question 24

AO3 do overt observations have ethical issues?

Answer 24

less prone to ethical issues -ppts are aware they are being studied -give informed consent beforehand

Question 25

describe a participant observation

Answer 25

-researcher becomes part of the group they are studying -researcher can provide a first hand account

Question 26

describe a non-participant observation

Answer 26

-the researcher remains separate from the participants they are studying

Question 27

AO3 why can there be practical difficulties associated with participant observation?

Answer 27

it can be hard for the researcher to accurately note and view behaviours whilst also participating -validity could be reduced -inaccurate details and information may be obtained

Question 28

AO3 do participant observation provide more or less insight into behaviour being studied?

Answer 28

more insight -researcher is part of the group, can prompt certain behaviour? -increases the validity

Question 29

AO3 is participant observation more or less prone to investigator bias?

Answer 29

-more prone -researcher interacts with the participants -validity of their findings could be affected

Question 30

AO3 are there more or less practical difficulties in non-participant observations

Answer 30

less practical difficulties -researcher is able to remain separate to the ppts and make recordings as they go -high validity and accuracy of information obtained

Question 31

AO3 are non-participant observations more or less prone to investigator bias

Answer 31

less -researcher remains separate from participants -remains objective so increases the validity of their findings

Question 32

what does observational design refer to?

Answer 32

HOW we conduct the different types of observations

Question 33

what are behavioural categories?

Answer 33

they improve inter-rater reliability (extent to which a single observer is consistent when observing the same behaviour) -a behaviour checklist/ coding sheet can be used to record the frequencies of behaviours seen to then draw conclusions -in structured observations, the researcher decides in advance what behaviours they are recording. -in unstructured observations, there is no predetermined behaviour checklist, they attempt to record a continuous stream of data

Question 34

what is event sampling?

Answer 34

when the researcher decides what behaviour they are going to focus on and records this every time it happens

Question 35

what is time sampling?

Answer 35

when behaviour is recorded at set time intervals, each time the target behaviour is observed it is recorded on a tally chart

Question 36

in event and time sampling, how can data be presented?

Answer 36

in a bar chart -showing the number of instances of each behaviour observed

Question 37

what is inter-rater reliability

Answer 37

when two or more observers conduct an observation simultaneously but separately and compare their recordings to assess the level of consistency

Question 38

if recordings are more consistent....

Answer 38

they are more reliable

Question 39

if there is high inter-rater reliability...

Answer 39

there will be a positive correlation between two recordings