participant observation

Question 1

advantages:

flexibility

Answer 1

doesn’t have a fixed hypothesis or pre-set questions

enter a situation with an open mind

new situations arise, new explanations can be found

sociologist can change direction to follow up whatever may arise

Question 2

advantages:

validity

Answer 2

provides rich qualitative data

provides a picture of how a group really live

Question 3

advantages:

insight

Answer 3

verstehen - empathy / understanding that comes from putting yourself in another’s place

insight into a group’s values, problems, way of life, meanings, viewpoints

uniquely valid, authentic data

Question 4

disadvantages:

practical

Answer 4

time consuming

train researcher to recognize sociologically significant information

personally stressful and demanding

observational and interpersonal skills

CAGE(S) may restrict groups to study

may not wish to be studied this way and so make access difficult

Question 5

disadvantages:

ethical

Answer 5

covert - serious ethical problems such as deception

positivists believe that results are subjective, biased impressions of the observer

the researcher selects the facts they think are worth recording

researcher has pre-existing views and prejudices

hawthorne effect - affects validity

structural sociologists argue that it ignores the wider structural forces that shape our behaviour

Question 6

disadvantages:

theoretical

Answer 6

small group to be studied - lacks representativeness

sample is selected haphazardly

unlikely to be replicable due to much relying on the researcher’s own persona characteristics

qualitative data - unlikely to be reliable

lacks objectivity - difficult to remain objective - present a one-sided view of the group

loyalty to the group or fear of reprisals may mean information is concealed

researcher may be biased in favour of the group’s viewpoint