Observations

Question 1

What is a covert observation?

Answer 1

The participants do not know that they are being observed e.g. in public, through a one way mirror

Question 2

What is an overt observation?

Answer 2

The participants know that they are being observed e.g. in a job interview

Question 3

What is an naturalistic observation?

Answer 3

Where an observation takes place in a real life setting e.g. observing children sharing behaviour in a play room at nursery

Question 4

What is a structured observation?

Answer 4

Where the environment has been created for the purpose of the observation e.g. Milgram
The researcher will control some of the variables thus reducing the naturalness of the behaviour.
* Often they take place in an artificial setting, such as a playroom for children.

Question 5

What is a participant observation?

Answer 5

Where the observer is a part of the participants which they are observing

Question 6

What is a non-participant observation?

Answer 6

Where the observer is not a part of the participants which they are observing e.g. behind a one way mirror

Question 7

What is a coding system in observations?

Answer 7

A method of recording the behaviour which is observed

Question 8

What is event sampling?

Answer 8

Event sampling: Use a coding scheme to tally events when they occur e.g. in Bandura the researcher recorded each time they heard the child say ‘sock em in the nose’ (imitated verbal aggression)

Question 9

What is continuous sampling?

Answer 9

Continuous sampling: Making notes of everything which is happening.

Question 10

What is time sampling?

Answer 10

Time sampling: Recoding their behaviours every nth time, for example every 30s or once every 3 minutes over a set period of time – you write down exactly what they’re doing at that moment.

Question 11

Give 2 strengths of a covert observation

Answer 11

• there is less chance of demand characteristics, as participants do not know they are being observed making the findings more valid.
• there is less chance of social desirability as the participants do not know they are being observed making the findings more valid.

Question 12

What is a weakness of covert observations?

Answer 12

One weakness of covert observations is that there are potential ethical issues as the participants do not know they are being observed. This is a weakness as there is no consent from the participant.

Question 13

Give one strength of overt observations

Answer 13

One strength of overt observations is that there are less ethical issues as participants know that they are being observed.

Question 14

Give 2 weaknesses of overt observations

Answer 14

-there is a high chance of demand characteristics which lowers the validity as the participant may try to behave in line with what they think the observer wants to see.

• there is a high chance of social desirability which lowers the validity as the participants may try to behave in a way that they believe is socially acceptable.

Question 15

Give a strength of a participant observation

Answer 15

One strength of a participant observation is that it gathers in-depth information. This is a strength of a participant observation as the findings will be more valid.

Question 16

Give 3 weaknesses of participant observations

Answer 16

• they may be difficult to replicate and so we cannot test the findings for reliability.
• the findings may have researcher/observer which bias is a weakness as the findings from the participant observation may not be valid.
• there is a high chance of demand characteristics which lowers the validity as the participant may try to behave in line with what they think the observer wants to see.

Question 17

Give one strength of a non-participant observation

Answer 17

One strength of non-participant observation is that they may be less bias. This is a strength as the observer can view the situations objectively.

Question 18

Give two weaknesses of non-participant observations

Answer 18

• there may be demand characteristics as the observer may influence the behaviour meaning that the behaviour observed is less valid.
• they gather less detail. This is a weakness as the findings may lack validity.

Question 19

Give 3 strengths of structured observations

Answer 19

• the variables can be controlled meaning that there is less chance of extraneous variables, increasing validity of findings.
• they are often standardised so the findings can be tested for reliability.
  -they are less time consuming. This is a strength is as we are ‘causing’ the situation, meaning it will be less time consuming as we would know the behaviours to look out for.

Question 20

Give 3 weaknesses of structured observations

Answer 20

• they are often in lower in ecological validity meaning the findings will be less valid.
• they may be high in demand characteristics as the person knows they are being observed and may change their behaviour, reducing validity of the findings.
• there may be ethical concerns. This is a weakness as the observer is responsible for what is happening in the observation.

Question 21

Give 2 strengths of a naturalistic observation

Answer 21

• they are high in ecological validity meaning that the findings can be applied to real life situations.

-there is a reduction in demand characteristics meaning the findings from a naturalistic observation will be more valid.

Question 22

Give 3 weaknesses of a naturalistic observation

Answer 22

• they do not follow a standardised procedure so we can not test the findings for reliability.
• One weakness of a naturalistic observation is that you can not only EV’s. This is a weakness as the findings are less valid.
• One weakness of a naturalistic observation is that they are more time consuming. This is a weakness as you are waiting for a behaviour to occur naturally.