Observations

Question 1

what is an observation?

Answer 1

watching someone in their normal, everyday environment

Question 2

What are the different types of observation?

Answer 2

participant
non-participant
covert
overt
structured
unstructured

Question 3

what are the advantages of overt (participant) observations?

Answer 3

avoids ethical issue of deciet

allows the interviewer to ask questions that only an outsider could ask

allows the observer to openly take notes

Question 4

what are the disadvantages of overt (participant) observations?

Answer 4

a group may refuse to give the researcher permission to observe them

risks the hawthorne effect

Question 5

what are the advantages of covert observations?

Answer 5

reduces the risk of altering peoples behaviour

high in validity

reduces risk of hawthorne effect

sometimes only way to obtain valid information

Question 6

what are the disadvantages of covert observations?

Answer 6

requires researcher to keep up an act

risk of cover being blown

possible risk of harm

cannot take notes - have to use memory

cannot use other methods to gather information

no informed consent

deception