Observation

Question 1

Observational Techniques

Answer 1

A way of seeing or listening to what people do without having to ask them.
Observation is often used within an experiment as a way of assessing the DV

Question 2

One Strength of Observational Techniques

Answer 2

+ Can capture unexpected behaviour. People often act differently from how they say they will in self-report methods. Observations are useful as they give insight into spontaneous behaviour

Question 3

One Limitation of Observational Techniques

Answer 3

• Risk of observer bias. Researcher’s interpretation of the situation may be affected by the expectations. Bias can be reduced by using more than one observer

Question 4

Naturalistic Observation

Answer 4

Takes place where the target behaviour would normally occur

Question 5

One Strength of a Naturalistic Observation

Answer 5

+ High external validity. In a natural context, behaviour is likely to be more spontaneous. More generalisable to everyday life

Question 6

One Limitation of a Naturalistic Observation

Answer 6

• Low control. There may be uncontrolled EV’s. Makes it more difficult to detect patterns

Question 7

Controlled Observation

Answer 7

Some control/manipulation of variables, including control of EV’s

Question 8

One Strength of a Controlled Observation

Answer 8

+ Can be replicated. More easily repeated due to standardised procedures. Findings can be checked to see if they occur again

Question 9

One Limitation of a Controlled Observation

Answer 9

• May have low external validity. Behaviour may be contrived as a result of the setting. Findings cannot be applied to everyday experience

Question 10

Covert Observation

Answer 10

Participants are unaware they are being studied

Question 11

One Strength of a Covert Observation

Answer 11

+ Demand characteristics reduced. Participants do not know they are being watched so their behaviour will be more natural. This increases the validity of the findings

Question 12

One Limitation of a Covert Observation

Answer 12

• Ethically questionable. People may not want behaviour recorded, even in public. Participants right to privacy may be affected

Question 13

Overt Observation

Answer 13

Participants are aware of being studied

Question 14

One Strength of an Overt Observation

Answer 14

+ More ethically acceptable. Participants have given their consent to be studied. They have the right to withdraw if they wish

Question 15

One Limitation of an Overt Observation

Answer 15

• Demand characteristics. Knowledge of being studied influences behaviour. Reduces the validity of the findings

Question 16

Participant Observation

Answer 16

When the researcher becomes part of the group they are studying

Question 17

One Strength of a Participant Observation

Answer 17

+ Can lead to greater insight. Researcher experiences the situation as the participants do. This enhances the validity of the findings

Question 18

One Limitation of a Participant Observation

Answer 18

• Possible loss of objectivity. The researcher may identify too strongly with those they are studying. This threatens the objectivity and validity of the findings

Question 19

Non-Participant Observation

Answer 19

When the researcher remains separate from the group they are studying

Question 20

One Strength of a Non-Participant Observation

Answer 20

+ More objective. Researcher maintains an objective distance so less chance of bias. May increase the validity of the findings

Question 21

One Limitation of a Non-Participant Observation

Answer 21

• Loss of insight. Researcher may be too far removed from those they are studying. May reduce the validity of the findings

Question 22

Behavioural Categories

Answer 22

The target behaviour to be observed should be broken up into a set of observable categories.
This is similar to the idea of operationalisation

Question 23

Two Limitations of Behavioural Categories

Answer 23

• Difficult to make clear and unambiguous. Categories should be self-evident and not overlap, not always possible to achieve. Smiling and grinning (eg) would be poor categories
• Dustbin categories. All forms of behaviour should be in the list and not one “dustbin”. Therefore, dumped behaviours go unrecorded

Question 24

Time Sampling

Answer 24

Observations are made at regular intervals (eg once every 15 seconds)

Question 25

One Strength of Time Sampling

Answer 25

+ Reduces the number of observations. Rather than recording everything that is seen (ie continuous) data is recorded at certain intervals. The observation is more structured and systematic

Question 26

One Limitation of Time Sampling

Answer 26

• May be unrepresentative. The researcher may miss important details outside of the time-scale. May not reflect the whole behaviour

Question 27

Event Sampling

Answer 27

A target behaviour/event is recorded every time it occurs

Question 28

One Strength of Event Sampling

Answer 28

+ May record infrequent behaviour. The researcher will still pick up behaviours that do not occur at regular intervals

Question 29

One Limitation of Event Sampling

Answer 29

• Complex behaviour oversimplified. If the event is too complex, important details may go unrecorded. This may affect the validity of the findings

Question 30

Six types of Observational Techniques

Answer 30

Naturalistic 
Controlled
Covert
Over
Participant 
Non-Participant

Question 31

Three types of Observational Design

Answer 31

Behavioural Categories
Time Sampling
Event Sampling