Observations

Question 1

What is a naturalistic observation?

Answer 1

The observer takes advantage of a naturally occuring situation and watches without interfering,

Question 2

Give a strength of a naturalistic observation.

Answer 2

Higher ecological validity; in comparison to controlled observations.

Question 3

List 3 limitations of naturalistic observations.

Answer 3

1. Little control over what is happening.
2. Something unknown to the observer may be causing behaviour.
3. Experiment is vulnerable to extraneous and confounding variables.

Question 4

What is a controlled observation?

Answer 4

Some variables in the environment are regulated by the researcher.

Question 5

Give a strength of controlled observations.

Answer 5

Higher control over what is happening; in comparison to naturalistic observations.

Question 6

Give a limitation of controlled observations.

Answer 6

Lacks ecological validity.

Question 7

What is a covert observation?

Answer 7

Individuals are unaware that they are being observed.

Question 8

Give a strength of covert observations.

Answer 8

The behaviour is more natural.

Question 9

Give a limitation of covert observations.

Answer 9

Researcher must be aware of ethical issues around what is acceptable to observe e.g informed consent, deception.

Question 10

What is a an overt observation?

Answer 10

Those being observed are aware that they are being observed.

Question 11

What is a participant observation?

Answer 11

The reseracher is part of the group being observed.

Question 12

Give a strength of participant observations.

Answer 12

It may give the researcher a greater insight that couldn’t be gained otherwise.

Question 13

Give a limitation of participant observations.

Answer 13

Participant observations are more likely to be overt, therefore bringing issues of participant awareness affecting the results.

Question 14

What is a non-participant observation?

Answer 14

The researcher merely watches the behaviour from a distance and does not interact with those being observed.

Question 15

Give a strength of non-participant observations.

Answer 15

They are likely to be more objective.

Question 16

Describe a structured observation.

Answer 16

• When a system is used to organise observations in order to ensure its rigorous and objective.
• The two main ways to structure observations are through: behavioural and sampling categories.

Question 17

What are the 2 main ways of structuring observations?

Answer 17

1. Behavioural categories.
2. Sampling categories.

Question 18

Describe an unstructured observation.

Answer 18

Where the researcher records all relevent behaviour but has no system.

Question 19

What is the probelm with unstructured observations?

Answer 19

What is recorded may be the most obvious or most eye catching NOT the most eye catching.

Question 20

List the 4 important details of behavioural categories.

Answer 20

1. Objective.
2. Cover all possible behaviours.
3. Mutally exclusive/specific.
4. Simplistic.

Question 21

In regards to behavioural categories, what is meant by the term ‘objective’?

Answer 21

The observer should not have to make inferences about the behaviour, but should just record explicit actions.

Question 22

In regards to behavioural categories, what is meant by the term ‘waste basket category’?

Answer 22

Behaviours that don’t fit a category.

Question 23

In regards to behavioural categories, what is meant by being ‘mutally exclusive/specific’?

Answer 23

You should not have to mark 2 categories at one time.

E.g ‘smiling and ‘grinning’ are very similar and likely to overlap, therefore needs to be avoided.

Question 24

In regards to behavioural categories, what is meant by being ‘simplistic’?

Answer 24

Easy to use by others, and can be replicated.

Question 25

What is meant by event sampling?

Answer 25

Counting how many times a certain behaviour (event) occurs in a target individual/group.

Question 26

What is meant by time sampling?

Answer 26

Recording behaviours in a given time frame.