Obsrvational Methods Flashcards
What are observational methods?
Research in which the experimenter does not manipulate any variable or assign subjects to condition.
Also know as non-experimental or obtrusive research
What is observational methods also known as?
Non-experimental
Unobtrusive
Reasons can we not manipulate variables in psychology?
- long lasting effect
- ethical reasons
Whats observation used in experiments?
Used to measure the depdent variable
Define non-experimental?
The researcher observes relatively unconstrained segment of a persons freely chosen behaviour
- watching and recording behaviour but no change towards it
If an investigation is given the tile observational what does this indicate?
The design rather than the techniques
What are the benefits of observation?
Solves some of the problems produced by artificial conditions
Minimises demand characterises
Advantages of observation?
- produces immediate data of real behaviour
- gather data on behaviour which you can’t in experimentation
- completely genuine behaviour unconstrained by lab
Disadvantages of observation?
- peoples behaviour can be affected by the awareness of being observed
- time consuming
- not being able to identify cause and effect
Define naturalistic observation?
- particpants watched in natural environment
- disturbed little as possible
Define laboratory observation?
Watched in lab
Define particpants observation?
Observe joins the group in order to record behaviour which
Whats some ethical controversies with particpants observation?
- invasion of privacy
- potential experimenter objectivity difficulties
- changing results simply by being a member of the group
Whats non-participant observation?
Observation from a distance
The main features of a structured observation?
- defining behaviour categories to be recorded
- sampling the behaviour in a consistent manner
- training the observes in the use of coding system and achieve good level of agreement
Whats the type of devices they use to conduct a structured observation?
- visual recording
- still camera
- audio
- hand written notes on the spot or grid
Whats code?
Oservsers will code behaviour as they view a recording
Whats event coding?
Based on the number of times something happens
What’s interval coding?
Coding that happens over periods of time
Whats it called when intervals are not consecutive in interval coding?
Time sampling
What’s code behaviour seen as?
Reliability
Whats inter- observer reliability?
Observers need to agree on what they are looking at and quantifying
- if there is a good agreement between observes, we don’t know whether they are doing it correctly but at least they are consistent as a group
What does reliability mean?
There is consistency between observes
What does controlled observations refer to?
Labortory studies in which the researchers control the environment
