Covert Participant Observation - PERVERT Flashcards
Practical factors
Strengths: Covert participant observation allows researchers to gather data without participants’ knowledge, providing an unfiltered view of natural behaviour in social settings.
Weaknesses: However, covert observation can be logistically challenging and ethically contentious, requiring researchers to conceal their true identities and motives, potentially compromising trust and rapport with participants.
Ethical factors
Strengths: Covert participant observation may protect participants from altering their behaviour due to awareness of being observed, minimizing the risk of social desirability bias.
Weaknesses: Nevertheless, covert observation raises significant ethical concerns, including deception, invasion of privacy, and the potential for harm or exploitation if participants discover they have been observed without consent.
Reliability
Strengths: Covert observation may yield high reliability by providing an authentic depiction of behaviour in natural settings, free from the influence of participant awareness or social desirability bias.
Weaknesses: However, reliability may be compromised if researchers are unable to fully document or contextualize their observations due to the covert nature of their presence, leading to potential inaccuracies or incomplete data.
Validity
Strengths: Covert participant observation can enhance the validity of findings by minimizing the Hawthorne effect and other biases associated with overt observation methods.
Weaknesses: Yet, the covert nature of the research may introduce ethical and methodological concerns that compromise the internal validity of the study, such as the inability to obtain informed consent or the risk of observer bias.
Examples
Strengths: Studies like Laud Humphreys’ “Tearoom Trade” provide examples of valuable insights gained through covert participant observation, shedding light on sensitive or stigmatized behaviors that might be difficult to study using overt methods.
Weaknesses: However, such studies also highlight the ethical controversies and methodological challenges inherent in covert observation, underscoring the need for careful consideration of ethical principles and participant rights.
Representativeness
Strengths: Covert participant observation allows researchers to study authentic behaviour in natural settings, potentially enhancing the representativeness of findings by minimizing the impact of observer effects and social desirability biases.
Weaknesses: Nonetheless, the covert nature of the research may limit the generalizability of findings, as researchers may encounter difficulties in obtaining a representative sample or fully understanding the contextual factors influencing behaviour.
Theoretical factors
Strengths: Covert participant observation can generate rich qualitative data that deepens theoretical understanding of social phenomena, offering nuanced insights into hidden or marginalized aspects of social life.
Weaknesses: However, the covert nature of the research may raise questions about the validity and reliability of findings, particularly if researchers face challenges in establishing trust and rapport with participants or documenting their observations accurately.
