Observations- Key Studys Flashcards
What does covert mean?
When the participant doesn’t know they’re being observed
What does overt mean?
When participants know they’re in a study/ being observed
What is participant observation?
The researcher becomes part of the study- becomes a participant
What is non participant observation?
The researcher is not a part of the study
What is structured observation?
The participant writes down their findings on a structured sheet/ plan
What is ethnography?
Study of the culture and structure of a group of people in a society, produce highly detailed accounts of
What is a field diary?
When you write up your story observations and put them in a book
What method of observation was Humphrey’s study?
Covert participant observation
Systematic structured
Give a brief description of Humphrey’s study?
Public toilets, parks of American cities
Studied homosexual activity in male toilets from mid 60’s
Humphrey’s disguised as a gay voyeur
Advantages and disadvantages of using observations in Humphrey’s study?
Advantage- he discovered info that developed defense against intrusions of outsiders
Informative observations
Disadvantage- deception, unethical, observer effect
What method of observation did Mayo use?
Over non participant observerion
Give a brief description of Mayo’s study
1930’s into how Hawthorne electrical plant chiacago
Measured impact of variables in the work place- what kind of environment encouraged workers to work harder?
Advantages and disadvantages of observations in Mayo’s study ?
Advantages- no deception
Knew they were being studied so maybe ethical
Disadvantages- Hawthorne effect therefore not real behaviour possibly not valid
Give a brief description of Hargreaves’s study and what kind of study was it?
Overt participant observation
Secondary school boys at back of class, teachers changed behaviours
Advantages and disadvantages of Hargreaves’s observation?
Advantages- ethical, knew they were being studied
Disadvantages- bias sample- only looked at boys, not representative
Hawthorne effect
Give a brief description of foot whytes study and what kind of observation was it?
Covert participant observation
Italian American street corner
Studied relationship with gang and gang leader
Gatekeeper- “doc”
What are advantages and disadvantages of foot whytes study?
Advantages- learned answers to questions never thought to ask
Comfortable environment for gang
Disadvantages- dangerous study
Went native
“Doc” knew being watched- Hawthorne effect
Give a brief description of Barkers study and what kind of study was it?
Overt participant observation- instructed interviews
Unification in church and why bad reputation.
Took two years to make context
Friends with monies, kept field diary
Advantages and disadvantages of barkers observation?
Advantages- ethical, gained trust , ethnography, valid Becsdue used field diary
Disadvantages- difficult to repeat
Give a brief description of “Patrick’s” observation and what kind of observation was it?
Participant covers observation
Glasgow gang- teacher
Student was gatekeeper in study
Teacher introduced as student relative
Advantages and disadvantages of “Patricks” observation?
Advantages- access group in own environment
Therefore information higher in validity
Disadvantages- dangerous- “Patrick” had to leave gang
Can’t repeat- low reliability
Give a brief description of venkatesh study and what type of observation was it?
Overt participant and non participant observation
Starter using questionnaires, wasn’t appropriate for pre-dominantly black area
Befriended gang leader and observed for decades
Venkatesh leader for a day
Advantages and disadvantages of Venkathes observation?
Advantages- very detailed
Very high validity
Disadvantages- went native
People in game of life being ruined
