Observations Flashcards
What is an observation?
A method for collecting research data by watching and recording relevant behaviour.
What is a covert observation? Give a strength and weakness.
Where the participants are unaware that the researcher is among them.
Strength- no possibility of demand characteristics which increases validity.
Weakness- unethical as you are always deceiving your participants.
What is an overt observation? Give a strength and weakness.
Where your participants know that the researcher is observing them.
Strength- more ethical and they are consenting and are aware that they are being observed.
Weakness- high chance of demand characteristics.
What is a naturalistic observation? Give a strength and weakness.
Where behaviour is studied in a natural situation where everything has been left as it is normally.
Strength- increases ecological validity.
Weakness- less likely to use recording equipment which decreases validity.
What is a controlled observation? Give a strength and weakness.
Where the observation takes place in a highly controlled setting, some variables are controlled and manipulated by the experimenter reducing the naturalness of behaviour.
Strength- often use recording equipment, allows focus on particular aspects of behaviour.
Weakness- situation feels unnatural, complex social situations, low ecological validity.
What is a structured observation? Give a strength and weakness.
Involves the use of tables of pre-determined categories of behaviour on a coding scheme.
Strength- collecting quantitative data, can test for inter-rater reliability.
Weakness- no reasons behind behaviour, limited data due to coding scheme.
What is a unstructured observation? Give a strength and weakness.
Where the observer records everything that happens in the observation period, no pre-determined categories.
Strength- more detail as your collecting qualitative data.
Weakness- harder to analyse as your collecting qualitative data.
What is a participant observation? Give a strength and weakness.
Where the researcher becomes a part of the participants they are observing(covertly).
Strength- more valid data as your part of the group.
Weakness- observer bias, ethical issues.
What is a non-participant? Give a strength and weakness.
Where the researcher watches participants from a distance and do not become part of the group.
Strength- more objective.
Weakness- limited understanding.
What is time sampling? Give a strength and weakness.
Where the observer records behaviour for a specific period of time at set intervals. A researcher decides on time intervals, say 30 seconds every 5 minutes, and then records what behaviour occurs in that time. Behaviour that occurs outside of the pre-determined time slots is not recorded. Often used with unstructured observations.
Strength- researcher has time to record what they have seen , qualitative data.
Weakness- some behaviour is missed outside the set intervals.
What is event sampling? Give a strength and weakness.
Where the researcher a behaviour every time it occurs. A researcher uses a coding scheme with pre-determined categories of behaviour and notes down each time this behaviour is shown. Often used with structured observations.
Strength- allows inter-rater reliability, quantitative data.
Weakness- miss behaviours that aren’t on the coding scheme.
