Observations

Question 1

Define the difference between non participant and participant observations

Answer 1

Participant - when the researcher takes part while watching

Non Participant - when the researcher watches without taking part

Question 2

Which methodological perspective prefers non participant?

Answer 2

Positivists

Question 3

Define the difference between overt and covert observations

Answer 3

Overt - researcher makes their true identity and purpose known

Covert - researcher hides their true identity and purpose

Question 4

Give 3 things that make “getting in” to observations hard

Answer 4

Access
Opportunity
Researcher skills and characteristics

Question 5

Give 3 things that make “staying in” observations hard

Answer 5

Subject knowledge
Researcher skill
Guilty knowledge

Question 6

Give 2 things that make “getting out” of observations hard

Answer 6

Protection from harm

Going native

Question 7

Define going native

Answer 7

Becoming so involved you are no longer objective

Question 8

Give 3 advantages of participant observations

Answer 8

Builds rapport
Covert means no Hawthorne effect
More verstehen

Question 9

Give 3 disadvantages of participant observations

Answer 9

Time consuming due to training
Covert could have problems with deception
Bias through loyalty to group

Question 10

Give 3 advantages of non-participant observations

Answer 10

More reliable as researcher doesn’t influence research
Easier to collect notes
Safer for researcher

Question 11

Give 2 disadvantages of non participant observations

Answer 11

Less verstehen

Hawthorne effect as overt

Question 12

Give 3 ways to ensure validity in observations

Answer 12

Covert research
Non participant
Natural environment

Question 13

Give 2 ways to ensure reliability in observations

Answer 13

Use more than one observer to check for consistency

Use a video recorder to check later

Question 14

Give 3 ways to ensure ethics in observations

Answer 14

Confidentiality
Informed consent
Right to withdraw

Question 15

What happened in Venkatesh’s study?

Answer 15

He went to study a neighbourhood in Chicago controlled by a crack gang
He started doing a questionnaire but was kidnapped
Said he was writing the leader J.T’s biography
ended up observing them for 7 years

Question 16

What kind of observation was Venkatesh?

Answer 16

Covert participant

Question 17

Give 2 advantages of Venkatesh’s study

Answer 17

Spent a long time (7 years) = more valid

Researcher characteristics as a man of colour he may have been accepted more readily

Question 18

What happened in Willis’ study?

Answer 18

He studied 12 white working class lads from Birmingham for 2 years focussing on their disinterest in school

Question 19

What kind of observation was Willis’ study?

Answer 19

Overt non participant

Question 20

Give 2 disadvantages of Venkatesh’s study

Answer 20

Hawthorne Effect - they knew they were being observed

Guilty knowledge - watched them do illegal acts

Question 21

Give 2 advantages of Willis’ study

Answer 21

Informed consent

Triangulated with group interviews making it more valid

Question 22

Give 2 disadvantages of Willis’ study

Answer 22

Small sample = less representative

Vulnerable group = difficult access and gatekeepers

Question 23

What happened in Patrick’s study?

Answer 23

Joined Glasgow Gang through one of his university students who was in the gang
But had to leave quickly because the violence was too much
He produced data from memory
He waited a long time to release the book due to fear and kept the people anonymous

Question 24

What kind of observation was Patrick’s study?

Answer 24

Covert participant

Question 25

Give 2 advantages of Patrick’s observations

Answer 25

Access - he knew a member

Confidentiality for members of gang

Question 26

Give 2 disadvantages of Patrick’s observation

Answer 26

Protection from harm

Less valid as it was from memory

Question 27

What happened in Griffin’s study?

Answer 27

He dyed his skin black to experience racism in the southern American states for 6 weeks
He had to go into exile after an effigy of him was hung in public - seen as a race traitor

Question 28

What kind of observation was Griffin’s study?

Answer 28

Covert participant

Question 29

Give 2 advantages of Griffin’s observation

Answer 29

Verstehen is very high

Covered several states - geographically representative

Question 30

Give 2 disadvantages of Griffin’s observation

Answer 30

Time consuming and expensive

Low protection from harm

Question 31

What happened in Kennedy’s study?

Answer 31

Kennedy was a police officer who went undercover with environmental activists for 7 years
However he went ‘native’ and joined the group even marrying in and having a child
He used a fake passport and cost the taxpayer £250000 a year

Question 32

What kind of observation was Kennedy’s study?

Answer 32

Covert participant

Question 33

Give 2 advantages of Kennedy’s observation

Answer 33

7 years - valid

Researcher characteristics - he had long hair and tattoos

Question 34

Give 2 disadvantages of Kennedy’s observation

Answer 34

Criminality/ guilty knowledge

Costly

Question 35

What happened in McIntyre’s observation?

Answer 35

He went undercover with football hooligans the Chelsea Headhunters for 18 months and used secret cameras. But him and his wife were assaulted after his research was published

Question 36

What kind of observation was McIntyre?

Answer 36

Covert Participant

Question 37

Give 2 advantages of McIntyres observation

Answer 37

Covert - no Hawthorne Effect - more valid

Used cameras more reliable

Question 38

Give 2 disadvantages of McIntyre’s observation

Answer 38

Low protection from harm

Researcher characteristics - got a tattoo