observation

Question 1

Definition

Answer 1

Observation within sociological research is generally regarded as the gathering of data by directly watching and recording the behaviour of people, usually, but not exclusively, in their everyday lives and in natural settings. Observation may be open (overt) or hidden (covert), participant (direct) or non-participant (indirect).

Question 2

Limitations

Answer 2

Most participant observation is restricted to fairly small-scale studies carried out over a long period and the group being studied is unlikely to be representative of any other social group. It’s also unlikely a researcher will be able to generalise their findings from one study to the next.
In participant - A researcher has to learn the culture of a group if he / she is to participate fully in their behaviour and this may not always be easy or possible.
Going native
Ethical issues

Question 3

Advantages

Answer 3

Participant observation generates a rich source of highly-detailed, high-quality, information about people’s behaviour.
the researcher can understand the social pressures / influences / group norms etc., that may create particular forms of behaviour. This gives a researcher insights into individual and group behaviour and it may allow researcher to formulate hypotheses that explain such behaviour.
Participant - ecological validity

Question 4

Reliability

Answer 4

Such studies are, by their very nature, impossible to repeat and the data they produce is, when all’s said and done, simply the opinion of one observer.
In addition, the reliability of overt participant observation can be further questioned in terms of the extent to which the presence of the observer actually changes the behaviour of those being studied.

Question 5

Validity

Answer 5

observers study people in their natural environment, gaining a depth of insight into behaviour that comes not simply from close, detailed, observation but also from the researcher’s own experiences within the group being studied - a technique that provides first hand insights into why people behave as they do. In addition, participant observation does not prejudge issues and events (in the way a questionnaire may, for example) and, for these reasons it is possible to argue that such a method provides data that has a high level of validity

Question 6

Bulletpoints

Answer 6

Same as overt