Observational Technique

Question 1

Observational Technique

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

A03 (Capture What People Do)

Answer 2

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

Question 3

AO3 (Risk Of Observer Bias)

Answer 3

E- Researcher’s interpretation of the situation may be affected by expectations)
E- Bias can be reduced using more than one observer

Question 4

Naturalistic

Answer 4

Takes place where the target behaviour would normally occur

Question 5

A03 (High External Validity)

Answer 5

E- In a natural context, behaviour is likely to be more spontaneous.
E- More generalisable to everyday life

Question 6

AO3 (Low Control)

Answer 6

E- There may be uncontrolled CVs/EVs
E- Makes it more difficult to detect patterns

Question 7

Controlled

Answer 7

Some control/manipulation of variables including control of CVs/EVs

Question 8

AO3 (Can Be Replicated)

Answer 8

E- More easily repeated due to standardised procedures
E- Findings can be checked to see if they occur again.

Question 9

A03 (May Have Low External Validity)

Answer 9

E- Behaviour may be contrived as a result of the setting
E- Findings cannot be applied to everyday experience

Question 10

Covert

Answer 10

Participants are unaware they are being studied

Question 11

A03 (Demand Characteristics Reduced)

Answer 11

E- Participants do not know they are being watched so their behaviour will be more natural.
E- This increases the internal validity of the findings

Question 12

A03 (Ethically Questionable)

Answer 12

E- People may not want behaviour recorded, even in public
E- Participants’ right to privacy may be affected

Question 13

Overt

Answer 13

Participants are aware of being studied

Question 14

A03 (More Ethically Acceptable)

Answer 14

E- Participants have given their consent to be studied
E- They have the right to withdraw if they wish

Question 15

A03 (Demand Characteristics)

Answer 15

E- Knowledge of being studied influences behaviour
E- Reduces the internal validity of the findings

Question 16

Participant Observation

Answer 16

Researcher becomes part of group they are studying

Question 17

A03 (Can Lead To Greater Insight)

Answer 17

E- Researcher experiences the situation as the participants do
E- This enhances the external validity of the findings

Question 18

A03 (Possible Loss Of Objectivity)

Answer 18

E- The researcher may identify too strongly with those they are studying (‘going native’)
E- This threatens the objectivity and internal validity of the findings

Question 19

Non-Participant Observation

Answer 19

Researcher remains separate from the group they are studying

Question 20

A03 (More Objective)

Answer 20

E- Researcher maintains an objective distance so less chance of bias
E- May increase the internal validity of the findings

Question 21

A03 (Loss Of Insight)

Answer 21

E- Researcher may be too far removed from those they are studying
E- May reduce the external validity of the findings

Question 22

Unstructured Observation

Answer 22

Everything is recorded which can be quite difficult if a lot is going on

Question 23

Structured Observation

Answer 23

-Includes behavioural categories and sampling methods
-A naturalistic observation often uses structured design