Methods Flashcards
1
Q
Non-Participant Observation
- Positivists
- Checklist
- Structured
A
Strengths:
- Less time and cheaper
- Can be replicated > higher reliability
- Reduced risk of Hawthorne effect
- Quantitative data
- Consent is easily obtained
Weaknesses:
- influenced by subjective interpretations
- Hawthorne effect > presence of an observer
- Only small group can be observed > not representative
- Covert > hidden cameras ethically problematic > no consent
2
Q
Structured Interviews
- Positivists
- List based/ checklist
- Formal
A
Strengths:
- quick and cheap
- opportunity for clarification
- easy to train interviewers
- good response rate
- reliable
- less interviewer bias
Weaknesses:
- Less validity
- Artificial situations > only what the interviewee wants the interviewer to know
- Imposition problem
- more expensive/time consuming than questionnaires
- limited responses
3
Q
Unstructured Interviews
- interprivists
- open questions
- interviewer free to change direction of top
A
Strengths:
- more valid in-depth info with sensitive topics
- more flexibility
- more opportunities to clarify
Weaknesses:
- Difficult to quantify and compare results
- Difficult to replicate > less reliability
- interviewer bias > effects of age, gender and personality.
- Group interviews > peer pressure and conformity
- Time consuming and expensive
- Smaller scale > less representative
4
Q
Participant Observation
- interprivists
- Verstehen
- Overt and covert roles
A
Strengths:
- Less sociologist own views
- More in-depth > more valid
- Only valid method for closed groups
- Normal everyday life rather than snapshot
Weaknesses:
- Qualitative data > cannot be compared
- Less reliable
- Less validity as interviewer might recall events differently
- Overt role > Hawthorne effect
- ‘going native’ > losing objectivity
- Small group > less representative
- Breach of privacy in covert role > deception
- Becoming accepted by the group > staying in > getting out
- Time-consuming and expensive
