Observations Flashcards
Define the difference between non participant and participant observations
Participant - when the researcher takes part while watching
Non Participant - when the researcher watches without taking part
Which methodological perspective prefers non participant?
Positivists
Define the difference between overt and covert observations
Overt - researcher makes their true identity and purpose known
Covert - researcher hides their true identity and purpose
Give 3 things that make “getting in” to observations hard
Access
Opportunity
Researcher skills and characteristics
Give 3 things that make “staying in” observations hard
Subject knowledge
Researcher skill
Guilty knowledge
Give 2 things that make “getting out” of observations hard
Protection from harm
Going native
Define going native
Becoming so involved you are no longer objective
Give 3 advantages of participant observations
Builds rapport
Covert means no Hawthorne effect
More verstehen
Give 3 disadvantages of participant observations
Time consuming due to training
Covert could have problems with deception
Bias through loyalty to group
Give 3 advantages of non-participant observations
More reliable as researcher doesn’t influence research
Easier to collect notes
Safer for researcher
Give 2 disadvantages of non participant observations
Less verstehen
Hawthorne effect as overt
Give 3 ways to ensure validity in observations
Covert research
Non participant
Natural environment
Give 2 ways to ensure reliability in observations
Use more than one observer to check for consistency
Use a video recorder to check later
Give 3 ways to ensure ethics in observations
Confidentiality
Informed consent
Right to withdraw
What happened in Venkatesh’s study?
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
What kind of observation was Venkatesh?
Covert participant
Give 2 advantages of Venkatesh’s study
Spent a long time (7 years) = more valid
Researcher characteristics as a man of colour he may have been accepted more readily
What happened in Willis’ study?
He studied 12 white working class lads from Birmingham for 2 years focussing on their disinterest in school
What kind of observation was Willis’ study?
Overt non participant
Give 2 disadvantages of Venkatesh’s study
Hawthorne Effect - they knew they were being observed
Guilty knowledge - watched them do illegal acts
Give 2 advantages of Willis’ study
Informed consent
Triangulated with group interviews making it more valid
Give 2 disadvantages of Willis’ study
Small sample = less representative
Vulnerable group = difficult access and gatekeepers
What happened in Patrick’s study?
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
What kind of observation was Patrick’s study?
Covert participant
Give 2 advantages of Patrick’s observations
Access - he knew a member
Confidentiality for members of gang
Give 2 disadvantages of Patrick’s observation
Protection from harm
Less valid as it was from memory
What happened in Griffin’s study?
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
What kind of observation was Griffin’s study?
Covert participant
Give 2 advantages of Griffin’s observation
Verstehen is very high
Covered several states - geographically representative
Give 2 disadvantages of Griffin’s observation
Time consuming and expensive
Low protection from harm
What happened in Kennedy’s study?
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
What kind of observation was Kennedy’s study?
Covert participant
Give 2 advantages of Kennedy’s observation
7 years - valid
Researcher characteristics - he had long hair and tattoos
Give 2 disadvantages of Kennedy’s observation
Criminality/ guilty knowledge
Costly
What happened in McIntyre’s observation?
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
What kind of observation was McIntyre?
Covert Participant
Give 2 advantages of McIntyres observation
Covert - no Hawthorne Effect - more valid
Used cameras more reliable
Give 2 disadvantages of McIntyre’s observation
Low protection from harm
Researcher characteristics - got a tattoo
