Observations Flashcards
what is an observation
where a researcher observes and records particiapnts behavior, but does not manipulate any varibles
features of observations
- structured / unstrcutured
- naturalistic / controlled
- covert / overt
- particiapnt / non-particiapnt
- event sampling / time sampling
sturctured positives
- easier to record
- easier to etlablish inter-rater reliability
structured negatives
- reductionist validity
- can reduce validity
- open to observer bias
unsturctured positives
- increase validity
- applicable to a wider range of contexts
unstructured negatives
- harder to record
- harder to establish relaibility
- open to observer bias
controlled observation
- involves a situation being controlled by the researcher
- usually conducted in a labatory type setting
naturalistic observation
- involves obersing participants in their natural enviroment
- often used where it would be unethical to manipulate varibles
covert positives
- increase validity
- less social desireability / demand characteristics
covert negatives
- ethicsl issues
overt positives
- reduces ethical issues
overt negatives
- decreases validity
- possible social desirability / demand characteristics
particiapnts positives
- only way to observe behaviour
- greater accuracy and detail
particiapnt negatives
- harder to remain objective
- can influence behaviour (reduce validity, ethical issues)
non-particiapnt positives
- easier to rremain observing
- no influence on behaviour
- less ethical issues
non-participant negatives
- cant observe certain behaviour
- less detial and accuracy
event sampling
every occurence of behaviour, as spersific on a predetermined checklist, is observed and recorded within a spersific period of time
time sampling
behaviour, as specified on a predetermined checklist, is recorded at spersific time intervals (e,g every 10 mins for a period of 5 seconds)
event sampling positives
- less likely to miss predefined events, increases validity and reliability
negatives of event sampling
- can be hard if lots of behaviour occurs at once
- can miss events not coded for
positives of time sampling
- more representative over time
- easier - more relaible observations
negatives of time sampling
can miss important events
inter-rater relaibility
researchers observing that same behaviour and coding the behaviour in the same way
low inter-rater reliability
- the coding of behaviour is either vague or lacks validity
- there not observing the same event
behaviour catagories
clearly defined behaviours are identified, which can be observed and recorded, may be placed on a checklist and tailed evry time that behaviour occurs
coding frames
allow more spersific behaviour to be observed within a behaviour category, codes and abbreviations can be used to record the severity of behaviours or a different sub-typpe within a catagory
how to increase validity
- carry out a covert observation so particiapnts dont change their behaviour (observer effect)
- double blind observations to reduce observer bias
- clearly opperationalised coding system
how to increase reliability
- clearly opperationalised coding system
- check inter-rater reliability
- conduct a pilot study to check behaviour catagories
