Observations Flashcards
What is a naturalistic observation?
The observer takes advantage of a naturally occuring situation and watches without interfering,
Give a strength of a naturalistic observation.
Higher ecological validity; in comparison to controlled observations.
List 3 limitations of naturalistic observations.
- Little control over what is happening.
- Something unknown to the observer may be causing behaviour.
- Experiment is vulnerable to extraneous and confounding variables.
What is a controlled observation?
Some variables in the environment are regulated by the researcher.
Give a strength of controlled observations.
Higher control over what is happening; in comparison to naturalistic observations.
Give a limitation of controlled observations.
Lacks ecological validity.
What is a covert observation?
Individuals are unaware that they are being observed.
Give a strength of covert observations.
The behaviour is more natural.
Give a limitation of covert observations.
Researcher must be aware of ethical issues around what is acceptable to observe e.g informed consent, deception.
What is a an overt observation?
Those being observed are aware that they are being observed.
What is a participant observation?
The reseracher is part of the group being observed.
Give a strength of participant observations.
It may give the researcher a greater insight that couldn’t be gained otherwise.
Give a limitation of participant observations.
Participant observations are more likely to be overt, therefore bringing issues of participant awareness affecting the results.
What is a non-participant observation?
The researcher merely watches the behaviour from a distance and does not interact with those being observed.
Give a strength of non-participant observations.
They are likely to be more objective.
Describe a structured observation.
- 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.
What are the 2 main ways of structuring observations?
- Behavioural categories.
- Sampling categories.
Describe an unstructured observation.
Where the researcher records all relevent behaviour but has no system.
What is the probelm with unstructured observations?
What is recorded may be the most obvious or most eye catching NOT the most eye catching.
List the 4 important details of behavioural categories.
- Objective.
- Cover all possible behaviours.
- Mutally exclusive/specific.
- Simplistic.
In regards to behavioural categories, what is meant by the term ‘objective’?
The observer should not have to make inferences about the behaviour, but should just record explicit actions.
In regards to behavioural categories, what is meant by the term ‘waste basket category’?
Behaviours that don’t fit a category.
In regards to behavioural categories, what is meant by being ‘mutally exclusive/specific’?
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.
In regards to behavioural categories, what is meant by being ‘simplistic’?
Easy to use by others, and can be replicated.
What is meant by event sampling?
Counting how many times a certain behaviour (event) occurs in a target individual/group.
What is meant by time sampling?
Recording behaviours in a given time frame.