Chapter 9 - Ethnography & Participant Observation Flashcards
ethnography/participant observation
researcher is emersed in a group of people for a long time, observing behaviour, listening to what subjects have to say, asking questions. Typically supplemnted with further research through documents/interviews, especially for unclear or unobservable behaviour
participant observation = ethnography?
yes, but ethnography will be used as a broader term that includes participant observation
ethnography is difficult to generalize, which means….
research is often carried out for knowledge for the sake of knowledge
what is the most difficult step of ethnography/participant observation?
gaining access
open vs closed setting
- open = areas anyone can gain access like libraries, parks, sidewalks
- closed includes organizations of various kinds like schools, cults, social movements
how to gain access
use connections, get someone in organization to vouch for you, offer something in return, provide clear explanations of aims/methods, be prepared to negotiate, be frank about how much time you’ll need
gatekeepers
people who must grant access to research setting
sponsor
people who vouch for the researcher in order to get them access to research setting
difficulties of ongoing access
people may start getting suspicious
groups will worry about their responses getting back to the boss
might sabatoge if suspicious
risks of offering something in return for access to research setting
risk of making researcher a cheap consultant
risk of being forced to sensor/alter results (to avoid this, allow access to the final report, and not a working draft)
how to maintain ongoing access in closed settings
play up credentials, don’t give people a reason to dislike you, play a role
how to maintain ongoing access in closed settings
have a plan for allaying suspicions, be prepared for tests of competence/credibility, and for changes in circumstances
overt vs covert
covert role does not disclose to subjects that you are a researcher
distinction between overt/covert is…
unclear
retrospective ethnography
using observations collected before decision to conduct study was made
pros and cons of covert role
\+grants easier access \+lessens reactivity -problem with taking notes -not being able to interview -anxiety regarding detection -ethical problems
key informants
informants who develop an understanding of research and are able to identify situations, events, or people likely to be helpful.
pros and cons of key informants
+provide support
+lessen stress
+spontaneous
-undue reliance can result in narrow perspective
different roles of ethnographers
complete participant, participant as observer, observer as participant, complete observer
complete participant
covert observer; fully functioning member of social setting whose true identity is unknown to participants
participant as observer
a complete participant who plays an overt role; risk of overidentification
observer as participant
researcher is mainly interviewer and observer, participate marginally in group activities ; risk of making incorrect references
complete observer
no interaction with people observed; usually not considered an ethnography; less risk of reactivity, less understanding
active vs passive ethnography
some ethnographers think lack of participation will be interpreted as a lack of commitment to group, thus lack of credibility, which can be dangerous in high risk/illegal activity. passive participation is much more dangerous in covert role
how to take field notes
write down notes ASAP, write full field notes at the end of the day at least, allow for plenty of time for transcribing tape recordings, notes must be vivid, clear, complete
taking notes in real time…
is best, but can make people feel self-conscious
what is the difficulty with tape recorders?
takes long time to transcribe, might pick up extraneous noise
mental notes
useful when you can’t look like you’re taking notes, but must recorded as soon as possible
jotted notes
aka scratch or rough notes. brief notes to jog memory about events to be recorded later, like little phrases, quotes, and key words
full field notes
main data source, as much data as possible, even if it’s irrelevant because it might become relevant
analytic memos
additional thoughts on what data could mean, helps bridge gap between concepts and data, kept separately from data
visual ethnography
used as memory aids, sources of data, or prompts for discussion
realist framework
material simply captures an event or setting that become fact for researchers; rarely flies in sociology
reflexive framework
entails awareness of and sensitivity to ways in which researchers determine what images mean; frequently collaborative
when does ethnography come to an end?
natural end (ex: rave scene declining)
occupational/personal/family reasons
threshold of stress for researcher
saturation point has been reached
