flashcards participant observation
what is PO
PO = participant observation
- data collection technique / method
- !! does not make (ontological or epistemological) assumptions
- technique associated with anthropologists
(PO is not the same as ethnography, which is a thick description type of case study)
PO supplies data for either positivist and interpretivists projects
positivist usage e.g. public policy (study on infant mortality and maternity practices in Brazil), marketing (study for shaving brand, asking why people don’t use it under the shower)
main element = ability to collect data you couldn’t without trust/rapport
PO involves - 2 phases
- collecting data through immersion
- live close to subjects and experience their life
- make subjects feel comfortable so that they provide “insider information”, so that they do not modify their behavior
-> data validity
*subjects don’t forget reseaarchr is ther, theytrust them enough to act as if they weren’t - intellectualization: data analysis
- rmove myself from immersion (on on-and-off basis) to transport into and translate the data for research-oriented conversation
- intellectualize what you see and write convincingly about it
what type of data does PO collect?
any kind:
qualitative (narratives)
- field notes
- photos
- audio recordings
- videos
- transcriptions
quantitative (numbers), based on:
- direct observation
- questionnaires
different fieldwork roles
- complete participant = full interaction (mostly without disclosure)
- complete observer = little interaction (with or without disclosure)
- participant observer = shifting and blurry boundaries betweeen 1 and 2:
- observing participant
- participating observer
(often depends on what role you take on first, exam won’t ask about specific diff: need to know it combines)
*you can do PO in situations where you already are a participant and become an observer
how long does PO take?
depends on project and conditions on the ground
- short studies in contets where you alrady are participant
- may take months: settle in, understqand social usages incl. languages + build trust
building trust necessary for
- being able to make good questions
- receive good answers
- be allowed to see events of interest
rapid assessment procedures
= when researcher dos not have time to build rapport
(sort of PO light)
3 forms:
- participatory mapping: bring people in the sites to supply info about geographically lcoated info (eg where there ar wells, which are dried out)
- participatory transects: walk through area systematically with key informants, observe and ask for explanations on what you see
- focused ethnographic study: go to the field with specific question and few variables of interest
- use vignettes or scenarios to communicate with people o the ground and gather specific info
- e.g. WHO workers compare insider vs outsider models of illness-re
advantages of PO
- collect many types of data (incl. sensorial data + often concealed info)
- greater data validity (trust reduces risk of REACTIVITY)
- making better questions: culturally-informed and in native language
- understanding the meaning of data
- e.g. measuring land inequality: if you just look at property it makes no sense, bc often land plots are shared -> not as much land inequality/concentration as what would be expected
data from PO can inform quantitative projects, e.g. surveys and field experiments -> otherwise wouldn’t know exaclty what to ask
- e.g. PO in military to investigate sexual harassment, to get basic info need trust -> then can test magnitude within army you can do survey
reactivity
people changing their behavior when they know they are being observed
skills for PO (only a few from the chapter)
- language: avoid sucker bias (fluency gives awareness of potential misunderstandings, including when they are making fun of you, reacting to you as an observer in purpose)
- shows commitment -> build trust - explicit awareness: practice catching details before entering the field
- hanging out to build rapport (don’t be to intrusive)
!researcher is the main data gathering devise
objectivity
impossible to eliminate biases -> need to bcome bigger than them:
- acknowledge biases
- judge whether you hinder your own observation and intellectualizaation
be accountable: talk regularly to collegues that can help you understaand
!objectivity does not mean value neutrality: researcher will face ethical dilemmas, if possible its ok to intervene
researcher effect!!
biases introduced by researcher’s personal characteristics:
- limits to the information one can access
- how the researcher perceives information
!impossible to eliminate: can only be negotiated (through trust), mitigated, or circumvented
case study - see slides
