Observational Techniques And Research

Question 1

What is a naturalistic observation?

Answer 1

Behaviour is studied in a natural situation

Question 2

Evaluation of a naturalistic observation

Answer 2

+High ecological validity
+Ppts unaware: demand characteristics, social desirability bias
- lack of control
- ethical issues: no consent, right to withdraw

Question 3

Controlled observation

Answer 3

Some variables controlled by researcher
Reduce ‘naturalness’ of the behaviour being studied
Ppts likely to know they are being studied and may be laboratory conducted
Bobo doll study of Bandura + Ainsworth and Bell’s strange situation

Question 4

Unstructured observations

Answer 4

Record all relevant behaviour with no system
Behaviour to be studied largely unpredictable
- record most visible/ eye catching behaviours

Question 5

Structured observations

Answer 5

Use ‘systems’ to organise observations
Research aims decided an area to study
Use operationalised variables to study

Question 6

What is operationalisation?

Answer 6

Breaking behaviour into a set of measurable components

Create behavioural categories eg infant behaviour:

Question 7

Behavioural categories should:

Answer 7

1) be objective: observer shouldn’t have to make inferences- record explicit behaviours
2) cover all possible component behaviours
3) each category should be mutually exclusive

Question 8

Continuous observation as a sampling procedure

Answer 8

Every instance of behaviour that you see is recorded in detail- useful for when behaviour isn’t regularly occurring

Question 9

Event sampling

Answer 9

Records everything it happens

- difficult to record all

Question 10

Time sampling

Answer 10

Records at regular intervals

- may miss info

Question 11

Participant observation

Answer 11

Researcher engages in studied behaviour

Question 12

Non participant observation

Answer 12

Researcher remains separate

Question 13

Covert observation

Answer 13

More valid, real behaviour, occurs in public places, issues of deceit and lack of fully informed consent as ppts unaware

Question 14

Overt observation

Answer 14

Ppts aware they are being studied
-demand characteristics and social desirability bias
+ more ethical

Question 15

Analysing observational data- what data do unstructured or structured/ systematic observations produce?

Answer 15

Unstructured: qualitative
Structured:’numerical data in categories (quantitative)

Question 16

Dealing with reliability and validity in observational data

Answer 16

Reliability: observations should be consistent, two observers should ideally produce same record; extent to which two observers agree is called ‘inter-rater reliability’, measured by correlating the observations of 2+ observers
Observers should be trained in behaviour checklist/ coding
Validity: observer bias (record fitting with hypothesis)
Improve validity: use independent observer who doesn’t know aim

Question 17

What is observational research?

Answer 17

No IV, although a hypothesis concerning an IV may be tested (i.e can investigate but not demonstrate causal relationship)
Observations recorded of ppts engaging