Participant Obersvation

Question 1

What are some practical strengths of observations?

Answer 1

• covert observation may be the only way of studying certain topics or groups (the participants do not know they are being studied)
• gives the researcher first hand insight
• highly flexible method which can be adapted

Question 2

What are some ethical strengths of observations?

Answer 2

• ethical standards can be maintained if done overtly (the participants know they are being studied)

Question 3

What are some theoretical strengths of observations?

Answer 3

• highly valid as takes place in a natural setting
• flexible nature allows the researcher to generate new ideas and theories
• researcher experiences what the participants experience, verstehen
• if done covertly, the behaviour seen can be assumed to be realistic

Question 4

What are some practical limitations of observations?

Answer 4

• challenges faced with regards to “getting in, staying in and getting out”
• hard to record data of done covertly

Question 5

What are some ethical limitations?

Answer 5

• large number of ethical issues attached to covert methods

Question 6

What are some theoretical limitations to observations?

Answer 6

• small samples so lacks representativeness
• lacks reliability as the study will work differently every time
• the researcher can get too involved, “going native” (too similar to the participants)
• the Hawthorne effect may occur
• researcher can be selective about what to record, reduces validity
• if done overtly the researcher can ask questions to further understanding

Question 7

Non participant observation

Answer 7

• where the researcher observes without being involved e.g observing a community or tribe from the outside/outskirts

Question 8

What are observations?

Answer 8

• the researcher can join the group they are studying and actively participates in the same activities as the group
• can be overt or covert