Observations Flashcards
What is a participant observation?
Where the researcher becomes part of the group to observe.
What are the advantages of participant observations?
Researcher can gather more in depth ideas and data.
What are the disadvantages of participants observations?
Researcher may become more subjective.
What is a non-participant observation?
Researcher remains outside of the group to observe.
What are the advantages of non-participants observations?
Researcher is less bias.
What are the disadvantages of non-participants observations?
May not gain as much information.
What is a covert observation?
Where the observer is not visible and participants are unaware they are being observed.
What is an overt observation?
Where the participants are aware they are being observed and observer is visible.
What are the advantages of covert observations?
Behaviour is more natural.
What are the disadvantages of covert observations?
No informed consent gained, therefore deemed unethical.
What are the advantages of overt observations?
Ethical as informed consent is gained beforehand.
What are the disadvantages of overt observation?
Participants may change before through social desirability.
What is a participant observation?
When researcher becomes part of the group they are observing.
What is a non-participant observation?
Researcher remains outside of the group being observed.
What are the advantages of participant observations?
Researcher can get in depth ideas and data.
What are the disadvantages of participant observations?
Researcher may become subjective.
What is an advantages of non-participants observations?
Researcher may be more objective.
What is a disadvantage of non-participant observations?
May not gain information to such depth.
What is a structured observation?
Researchers use systems to organise observations
What are the advantages of structured observations?
Easier to record
Easier to replicate
What are the disadvantages of structured interviews?
Information may be missed if doesn’t fit into a category
What is an unstructed observation?
Researcher records all observations
What are the advantages of unstructured interviews?
Detailed
What are the disadvantages of unstructured observations?
Too much to record, may be missed
Open to researcher bias
What is time sampling?
A pre-agreed schedule of when and how long the observation will take place
Design behavioural categories of anticipated behaviours
What is an advantage of time sampling?
Reduces number of observations
What are the disadvantages of time sampling?
May be unrepresentative of observation as a whole
What is event sampling?
Design behavioural categories of anticipated behaviours
Tallying everytime a behavioural category is seen
What is an example of behavioural categories?
When observing aggressive behaviour, the behavioural categories may be shouting, hitting and kicking
How can we ensure inter-observer reliability within observations?
Observation should be carried out by at least more than two researchers
What are the issues with validity within observations?
Observer bias
Issues with the coding system
How can observer bias be overcome within observations?
Having more than one observer
Use a double blind technique
How can issues with the coding system be reduced within observations?
Compare the catergories to similar observations already conducted
