Observation

Question 1

What are all of the observational techniques?

Answer 1

• Naturalistic.
• Controlled.
• Covert. •Overt.
• Participant. •Non-Participant.

Question 2

What is naturalistic observation?

Answer 2

•Takes place where the target behaviour would normally occur.

Question 3

What are advantages of naturalistic observation?

Answer 3

•High external validity - more generalisation to everyday life.

Question 4

What are disadvantages of naturalistic observation?

Answer 4

•Low control. May be uncontrolled EV’s.

Question 5

What is controlled observation?

Answer 5

•Some control/manipulation of variables including control of EV’s.

Question 6

What are advantages of controlled observation?

Answer 6

•Can be replicated - findings can be checked again to see if they occur.

Question 7

What are disadvantages of controlled observation?

Answer 7

• May have low external validity.

* Findings cannot be applied to everyday life.

Question 8

What is covert observation?

Answer 8

Participants are unaware that they are being studied.

Question 9

What are advantages of covert observation?

Answer 9

• Demand characteristics reduced.

* This increases validity of study.

Question 10

What are disadvantages of covert observation?

Answer 10

•Ethically questionable.

-Participants right to privacy may be affected.

Question 11

What is overt observation?

Answer 11

Participants are aware of being studied.

Question 12

What are advantages of overt observation?

Answer 12

•More ethically acceptable.

-Have the right to withdraw.

Question 13

What are disadvantages of overt observation?

Answer 13

•Demand characteristics.

Question 14

What is participant observation?

Answer 14

When the researcher becomes part of the group they are studying.

Question 15

What are advantages of participants observation?

Answer 15

•Can lead to greater insight.

-Enhancing validly of findings.

Question 16

What are disadvantages of participants observation?

Answer 16

•Possibly loss of objectivity.

Question 17

What’s non-participants observation?

Answer 17

When the researcher remains separate from the group they are studying.

Question 18

What are advantages of non-participants observation?

Answer 18

•More objective.

-Researcher is far away so less chance of bias.

Question 19

What are disadvantages of non-participant observation?

Answer 19

•Loss of insight.

Question 20

What are the 3 observational designs?

Answer 20

• Behavioural categories.
• Time sampling.
• Event sampling.

Question 21

What are behavioural categories?

Answer 21

The target behaviour to be observed should be broken up in to observable categories. Similar to the idea of generalisation.

Question 22

What are disadvantages of behavioural categories?

Answer 22

•Difficult to make clear and unambiguous.

Question 23

What is time sampling?

Answer 23

Observations that are made at regular intervals, e.g. once every 15 seconds.

Question 24

What are advantages of time sampling?

Answer 24

•Reduces the number of observations.

Question 25

What are disadvantages of time sampling?

Answer 25

•May be unrepresentative.

Question 26

What’s event sampling?

Answer 26

A target behaviour/event is recorded every time it occurs.

Question 27

What are advantages of event sampling?

Answer 27

•May record infrequent behaviour.

Question 28

What are disadvantages of event sampling?

Answer 28

•Complex behaviour is oversimplified.

-Validity is affected.