Chapter 2: Observational Methodologies

Question 1

Naturalistic Observation

Answer 1

Observing in natural, everyday settings
Advantages: assesment of actual behavior in actual situations and allows for study of pre-verbal children
Disadvantages: some behaviors may happen infrequently and thereby resist observation. observer influence.

Question 2

Structured Observation

Answer 2

Setting up a situation that evokes the behavior of interest.
Advantages: allows observers to create circumstances which may elicit otherwise infrequent behavior. allows study of pre-verbal children. every participant is presented the same stimuli and has an equal opportunity to perform.
Disadvantages: lab reactions will be different than reactions in real situations. observer influence

Question 3

Clinical Interviews

Answer 3

Presenting the same question or problem to each participant, allowing for follow up questions to probe for additional info.
Advantages: unique info about each participant. Quick was to get large amounts of info
Disadvantages: asking different followup questions may hinder comparison of participants. Researchers bias may affect follow up questions

Question 4

Structured Interviews

Answer 4

Same questions are presented to every study participant.
Advantages: simple comparisons between participants. Quick way to get lots of info
Disdvantages: dependent on language- may not be suitable for young children. Participants may just tell you what they think you want to hear or fail to admit bad behaviors or thoughts

Question 5

psychophysiological methods

Answer 5

measuring the relationship between physiological processes and behavior.
Advantages: Allows objective assessment of the physical processes relating to behavior, especially emotion.
Disadvantages: very intrusive. trying to monitor active children is very difficult.

Question 6

Ethonographic Methods

Answer 6

researchers seek to understand the unique values, traditions and social processes of a culture or subculture by living with it’s members.
Advantages: allows rich detail to be collected.
Disadvantages: generalizability problems- conclusions drawn from one culture may not apply to another. Highly subjective- researchers own values may produce biased reults

Question 7

Case studies

Answer 7

Detailed portrait of a single individual’s development using any or all of the self-report and observational methodologies.
Advantages: rich detail.
Disadvantages: generalizabilty problems-conclusions drawn for study may not apply to most