Ch13 field research Flashcards
subjects of field research
study people in location or setting - also study entire communities
start with a small group who interact with each other on a rgular basis in a fixed setting
people studied in field research called
members
insiders or natives belong
outsider is the research
ethnography
an approach to field research that emphasized providing a very detailed description of a different culture from the viewpoint of an insider in that culture to permit a greater understanding of it - narrative point of view
considered a methodology
methodology
- collection of methods that are tied together by an underlying theoretical orientation
ethnography assumes people make
inferences - go beyond what is explicitly seen or said to what is meant or implied
meaning is inferred from behaviour - move from observation to meaning is center of ethnogrpahy
explicit knowledge
what we know and talk about
tacit knowledge
what we rarely acknoqwledge
field reacher based on naturalism
naturalism is the principle that researchers should examine events as they occur in natural, everyday, ongoing social settings
field researchers goal
examine social meanings and grasp multiple perspectives in natural social settings
field research conducted by
usually single individual although small teams have been effective
field researcher steps
less structure than quantitative - steps not predetermined
genral field research steps
1 - prepare read defocus
2 - select and gain access to field site
3 - enter the field, establish social relations
4 - adopt new social role
5- watch listen collect
6 - analyze data and generate working hypotheses
7 - focus on specific aspects of the setting, theoretical sampling
8 - conduct field interview
9 - disengage and physically leave
10 - analysis report
complete observer
researcher who only observes the study group without participating in their activities
complete participant
researcher who fully participates in all aspects of the study groups activities as through a member of the group
semi-participant
researcher who participates to some degree in group activities but not as much as a full member
gatekeeper
someone with formal or informal authority to control access to a site
covert observer
secretly studying the group
overt observer
study group with their full knowledge
adopting a social role and learning the ropes
presentation of self
researcher as instrument for measuing data - be alert and sensitive to what happens in the field and disciplined, + personal consequences
attitude of strangeness
- hard to recognize what we are very close to
- question and notice ordinary details
build rapport - charm trust understanding
2 benefits of culture shock
easier to see cultural elements
facilitates self-discovery