Observational Studies/Ethnography

Question 1

What is the difference between naturalistic and participant observation?

Answer 1

• naturalistic observation: researcher just watches, DOESN’T interact
• Participant observation: The researcher interacts with the observed

Question 2

If a participant is aware of the researcher’s presence, what should be done?

Answer 2

• desensitize
• do habituation

Question 3

What is desensitization?

Answer 3

when the participants slowly get accustomed to the researchers presence, moving in closer and closer

Question 4

What is habituation?

Answer 4

when a researcher shows frequently in a participants’ vicinity until they stop reacting to their presence

Question 5

What is the difference between an observational study and field experiments?

Answer 5

observational studies are more “natural”. (have more ecological validity). While in field experiments, a variable is actually controlled

Question 6

What are two kinds of checklists and what are their functions?

Answer 6

• Static checklist: things that stay stable throughout observation
• Action checklist: Looking for specific behaviors that happen over time with a specific operational definition

Question 7

What are the two kinds of sampling?

Answer 7

• behavior sampling: (Time sampling) what is behavior at a specific point in time. It can be systematic or random
• event sampling: sample set of events where behavior occurs. (systematic or random)