Observation

Question 1

What is observation?

Answer 1

Watching people’s behaviour to investigate it
Could be used as a research method in of itself
Or a way to gather data in the context of an experiment

Question 2

Research aim

Answer 2

The concept researchers want to investigate: specific to reflect what they want to find out about
Begins with ‘to see if…’

Question 3

Research question

Answer 3

A question about the concept we are investigating, asking ‘do x do this when y?’
Question mark at the end

Question 4

5 things to plan before an investigation

Answer 4

Who to observe
What acts should be observed
Where do we observe people
When do we observe
How do we carry it out

Question 5

Unstructured observation

Answer 5

Non focused: recording every behaviour of who we are observing in the form of qualitative data

Question 6

What type of data does unstructured observation give?

Answer 6

Qualitative data

Question 7

Structured observation

Answer 7

The observations of behaviour are guided by behavioural categories (defined prior)
Using a coding frame
To focus on specific behavioural events + frequency each occurs

Question 8

Coding frame

Answer 8

A tally chart and list of behaviours (known as behavioural categories) that we look out for and note down frequency of this

Question 9

Behavioural categories

Answer 9

The DV: what behaviours we have operationalised in order to look out for to make a tally of
In the coding frame in a controlled observation

Question 10

When developing a coding frame with behavioural categories:

Answer 10

Focus on behaviours relevant to aim/question
Operationalised to ensure it’s possible if different behaviours fall into a category or don’t fulfil it
Objectivity so observers don’t have to make inferences on if the behaviour falls in the category or not
The behaviours should be consistent over diff contexts
All possible behaviours need to be covered + include an ‘other’ option