6.2 Naturalistic Observation Flashcards
In a ____ ____ study, the researcher makes observations of individuals in their natural environments (the field).
naturalistic observation
Naturalistic observation is sometimes called ____ or simply field observation.
fieldwork
The goal of naturalistic observation is to provide a complete and accurate picture of what occurred in the ____, rather than to test hypotheses formed prior to the study.
setting
The researcher must keep detailed ____ ____.
field notes
Field researchers rely on a variety of techniques to gather ____, depending on the particular setting.
information
In addition to taking detailed fieldnotes, researchers conducting naturalistic observation usually use ____ or ____ recordings.
audio or video
The researchers first goal is to ____ the settings, events, and persons observed
describe
The second, equally important goal is to ____ what is observed.
analyse
The researcher must interpret what occurred, essentially gathering hypotheses that help ____ the data and make them ____.
explain / understandable
Such an analysis is done by building a ____ ____ to describe the observations
coherent structure
The final ____, although sensitive to the chronological order of events, is usually organised around the structure developed by the researcher.
report
Specific examples of events that occurred during observation are used to ____ the researchers interpretations.
support
A good naturalistic observation report will support the analysis by using multiple ____.
confirmations
The data in naturalistic observation studies are primarily ____ in nature.
qualitative
Two related issues facing the researcher are weather to be a ____ or ____ in the social setting and whether to ____ his or her purposes from the other people in the setting.
participant or nonparticipant
conceal
A ____ observer is an outsider who does not become an active part of the setting.
non-participant
A ____ observer assumes an active, insider role.
participant
Because participant observation allows the researcher to observe the setting from the ____, he maybe able to experience events in the same way as the natural participants.
inside
A potential problem with participant observation, however, is that the observer may lose the ____ necessary to conduct scientific observation.
objectivity
____ observation may be preferable because the presence of the observer make influence and alter the behaviour of those being observed.
Concealed
Concealed observation is less ____ than non-concealed observation because people are not aware that their behaviours are being observed and recorded.
reactive
Non-concealed observation maybe preferable from an ____ viewpoint.
ethical
The decision of whether to conceal one’s purpose or presence depends on both ethical concerns and the ____ of the particular group and setting being studied.
nature
Researchers who use naturalistic observation to study behaviour must carefully determine what their ____ in the setting will be.
role
The naturalistic observation approach is most useful when investigating complex social settings both to understand the settings and to develop ____ based on the observations.
theories
Limitation: Field research is difficult to do, is because ____ ____ cannot always be scheduled at a convenient time and place.
data collection
Limitation: because things ____ all the time the researcher must record everything and remain flexible in order to adjust to them as research progresses.
change
Limitation: The process of ____ that follows the completion of research is not simple.
analysis
Although naturalistic observation research is a difficult and challenging scientific procedure, it yields ____ ____ when done well.
invaluable knowledge
