Chapter 6 Flashcards
An in-depth analysis of an individual, group, event or phenomenon.
Case study
An in-depth analysis of an individual, group, event or phenomenon.
Case study
Core features of a case study
Has a defined unit of analysis for the case
Advantages of a case study
- Flexibility due to the small number of participants
- Can use a wide variety of techniques to collect data
- Able to collect a lot of details on one or more people
- Individual cases can provide insight into broader conditions
- lead to new hypothesizes
- Provide support of the external validity of other research methods
Examining an individual case in depth within it’s real-life context
Qualitative case study
Researchers rely primarily on numerical assessments and analysis to describe and understand a case
Quantitative case study
Researchers rely substantially on both quantitative and qualitative analysis to explore a case
Mixed-methods case study
Researchers rely substantially on both quantitative and qualitative analysis to explore a case
Mixed-methods case study
A case is examined in depth due to some inherent interest in learning about that particular case
intrinsic case study
A case is analyzed in depth because it can help us learn about a broader phenomenon
instrumental case study
Several cases are studied in depth for the purpose of learning about a broader phenomenon
Collective case study
Researchers analyse one case
single case study
Researchers study multiple cases
multiple case study design
Researchers study multiple cases
multiple case study design
How to collect data in a case study
direct observation or questioning
The researcher identifies in advance a set of topics or themes to be discussed with the interviewee, but the structure remains flexible
semi-structured interview
A moderator leads a group of people through an interview
focus group
Additional ways a case study can gather data
Psychological and neurological tests, brain imaging, ect.
Limitations of case studies
- Difficulty drawing clear causal conclusions
- the generalizability of findings is not possible
- The potential for observer bias
Limitations of case studies
- Difficulty drawing clear causal conclusions
- the generalizability of findings is not possible
- The potential for observer bias
Occurs when researchers have expectations or other predispositions that distort their observations
observations bias
Research that involves studying behaviour through observation
observational research
Basic characteristics of observational research
- Measuring behaviour through real-time observation or electronic recording
- Qualitative approach or quantitative approach or both
Why do observational research?
- good for describing behaviour
- Can describe relationships between naturally occurring variables
Researchers passively observe behaviour in a natural setting
naturalistic observation
Disguise versus undisguised observation
In naturalistic observation, participants may or may not know they are being observed
Advantages of naturalistic observations
- can study animals or people in natural settings
- it is ecologically valid/high external validity
Disadvantages of naturalistic observation
- lack of control
- impossible to observe and record everything
- Ethical issues of disguised research
- undisguised research can change participants’ behaviour
The observer becomes a part of the group during observation periods
participant observation
Ethical issues of disguised observational research
No informed consent is obtained
Limitations of participant observation studies
- The researcher’s presence can change the behaviour of the group
- Researchers may have to be apart of a group for years
- Researchers can lose objectivity
Advanatages of participant observation studies
- study behaviour from the view point of an insider
- Can be the only way to study the group
Combining participant observation with interviews to gain an integrative description of social groups
ethnography
A researcher is fully or partly configures the setting in which behavior will be observed
stuctured observation
Structured observation advantages
greater efficiency and control if done in a lab
structured observation disadvantages
takes place in a lab
Ways to record observations
narrative records, field notes, behavioural coding systems, observer rating and ranking scales, participant diaries,
A system to classify participants’ responses into categories
behavioral coding systems
Used to evaluate participants’ behaviour or other characteristics by ordering them
observer rating and ranking scales
When multiple observers have agreeing observations
interobserver reliability
Selecting a particular member or unit who will be observed at a particular time
focal sampling
when an observer scans the environment at specific time intervals
scan sampling
selecting the settings that observations will take place
situation sampling
selecting the time periods that observations will occur
time sampling
Limitations of observational research
- cannot draw causational conclusions because no manipulation and lack of control
- observer bias
- Reactivity
when the process of observing changes the behaviour
reactivity
observers are unaware of the hypotheses when observing
blind observation
when responses decrease over time due to desensitization to a stimuli
habituation
Assesses behaviour without making people aware that the behaviour is being measured. This is also on a continuum depending on the experiment.
unobtrusive measure
Unobtrusively examine traces of behaviour that people create or leave behind
physical trace measures
Using existing public records for research
archival records
