Observational techniques & design

Question 1

What is a naturalistic observation?

Answer 1

• watching & recording behaviour in the setting within which it would normally occur
• researcher has no control over any aspects of the environment

Question 2

What is a controlled observation?

Answer 2

• watching and recording behaviour within a structured environment
• some aspects of the environment (variables) are controlled to observe effects & also control of CVs & EVs

Question 3

What is a overt observation?

Answer 3

• those in which participants behaviour is watched & recorded with their knowledge and consent

Question 4

What is a covert observation?

Answer 4

• Those in which participants behaviour is watched and recorded without their consent

Question 5

What is a non- participant observation?

Answer 5

• the researcher remains outside of the group whose behaviour is being watched & recorded

Question 6

What is a participant observation?

Answer 6

• this is where the researcher becomes apart of the group whose behaviour is being studied and recorded

Question 7

Strengths & weaknesses of all observations

Answer 7

strengths
- give special insight into behaviour
weaknesses
- observer bias, interpretation of a situation may be affected by their expectations
- cannot demonstrate causal relationships

Question 8

Strengths & weaknesses of a naturalistic observation

Answer 8

strengths
- high ecological/external validity findings can be generalised
- less chance for demand characteristics
Weaknesses
- hard to replicate due to lack of control
- many uncontrolled CVs & EVs so difficult to judge patterns of behaviour
- ethical issues

Question 9

Strengths and weaknesses of controlled observations

Answer 9

strengths
- easy to replicate as CVs and EVs less of a factor
- easy to record
weaknesses
- low external/ecological validity (can’t apply to real life)

Question 10

Strengths and weaknesses of covert observations

Answer 10

strengths
- increased internal validity > demand characteristics won’t occur
weaknesses
- ethical issue ( right to privacy)

Question 11

Strengths and weaknesses of overt observations

Answer 11

strength
- ethical as consent has been given
weakness
- decreased internal validity >demand characteristics may occur

Question 12

strengths and weaknesses of participant observations

Answer 12

strengths
- high external validity > researcher gets an increased insight into lives of people being studied
- more in depth & valid data
-researcher gains trust of group
weakness
- lacks objectivity >bond forming & identify = subjective conclusions
- dangerous

Question 13

Strenghts and weakness of non-participant observations

Answer 13

strengths
- researcher maintains objectivity
- less dangerous
- easy to record data
weaknesses
- less valuable insight & depth > researcher may not understand the reasons for subtle interactions

Question 14

What is a unstructured observation?

Answer 14

• continuous recording of participant (everything researcher sees)

Question 15

What is a structured observation?

Answer 15

• Using behaviour categories to record each time a behaviour occurs

Question 16

What are behavioural categories?

Answer 16

• breaking down target behaviours into components that are observable and measurable

Question 17

What two sampling methods can researcher use when doing structured observations?

Answer 17

• event sampling
• time sampling

Question 18

What is event sampling?

Answer 18

• involves counting the number of times target behaviour occurs and recording it

Question 19

What is time sampling?

Answer 19

• involves recording behaviour within a pre-established time frame e.g. every 60 secs

Question 20

Strengths and weaknesses of an unstructured observation?

Answer 20

strength
- data is more rich in depth & detail (qualitative)
weaknesses
- greater risk of observer bias (no behavioural categories)
- much more difficult to record and analyse

Question 21

Strenghts and weaknesses of a structured observation

Answer 21

strengths
- quantitative data so analysis & comparison more straight forward
- behavioural categories makes it easier to record data
- less risk of observer bias
weakness
- less detailed

Question 22

Strengths and weaknesses of event sampling

Answer 22

strengths
- useful when target behaviour or event happens infrequently (could be missed if time sampling used)-
weaknesses
- if event is too complex important details may be overlooked
- reaction time (hard to catch every detail)

Question 23

Strengths and weaknesses of time sampling

Answer 23

• strengths
• reduced number of observations being made
  weaknesses
• miss key details of observation due to intervals
• behaviour that is sampled might be unrepresentative of the observation as a whole