participant observations Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a non participant observations?

A

the researcher does not participante in the group they are observing

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2
Q

advantages non participant observation

A
  • observing in natural environment
  • unlikely to go native and will remain objective
  • gather quantitative data
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3
Q

disadvantages of non ppt observations

A
  • not able to develop rapport // versthen
  • could jump to conclusions as not ivolved
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4
Q

what is a structured observation?

A

mostly non- ppt, where the researcher will count the number of times an event happens.

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5
Q

What is an overt observation?

A

researcher makes their true identity and purpose known to ppt

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6
Q

What is a covert obsrvation?

A

Where researcher identity is concealed

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7
Q

conducting an observation (5)

A
  1. getting in - must enter group
  2. making contact - initial contact to have right connections
  3. acceptance - must win trust and acceptance on ppt
  4. observer role - not to disrupt normal patterns
  5. staying in - once accepted need to stay in group but remain detached / unbiassed
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8
Q

making contact - Fairhurst

A

found herself hospitalised so used it as an opportunity to conduct a study on being a patient

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9
Q

Acceptance example - GRIFFIN

A

used medication to change his skin colour to make him pass as black to experience the first hand impact of white racism

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10
Q

What does ‘going native’ mean ?

A

Danger of staying in the group is over identifying and the researcher becomes biased and stop being an objective observer

  • Researchers may preserve their detachment so as to avoid bias, but by remaining detached they risk not understanding the events they observe
  • The more time the researcher spends with the group the less strange its ways comes to appear → researcher may begin to not notice things that they previously would have seen as unusual
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11
Q

Punch going native example

A

when trying to be accepted by a patrol group he over identified even acting as a policeman by chasing criminals / doing house searches

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12
Q

How must a researcher exit a observation?

A
  • Researcher can simply halt and leave it
    PATRICK - when sicken by violence abandoned a study immediately
  • Can be difficult to re enter researchers normal world can be difficult
  • Loyalty to the group they studied - prevents them from fully disclosing their findings perhaps out of fear
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13
Q

overt observation strenghts

A
  • Avoids ethical problem of obtaining information by deceit + when studying deviant groups → no expectation of them joining in
  • Allows researcher to ask the naive type of questions only outsiders could ask
  • Able to take notes openly
  • Able to use interview methods to check insights derived from observations
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14
Q

disadvantages of overt observations

A
  • Group may refuse the researcher permission
  • Risks creating the ‘hawthorne effect’ - undermines validity
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15
Q

Covert observation strengths

A
  • Reduces the risk of altering people’s behaviour - valid information
  • Humpheries - only way to watch the highly discreditable behaviour
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16
Q

Covert observations practical issues

A
  • Requires the researcher to keep up an act → risk of ones cover being blown
  • Cannot take notes openly / must rely on memory
    DITTON - studying theft used toilets as a place to record observations - caused suspicion
  • Cannot ask naive questions
  • Unable to mix with other research methods
  • Addition of a member → may still change behaviou
17
Q

Covert research ethical issues

A
  • Immoral in deceiving people
  • Not able to obtain consent
  • May have to participate in illegal or immoral situations to keep role
18
Q

practical advantages

A
  • Only viable option for certain groups - deviant / disrespectful groups
    YABLOWSKY - teenage gang likely to see questionnaires as unwelcome representatives of authority
  • Able to build a rapport with the group and gain its trust- successful with deviant groups / religious sects / drug gangs
  • Able to be used in situations where questioning is ineffective
    CISOURELS - study of how policeman categorise juveniles based on assumption and conscious → therefore unable to ask questions as studying assumptions / biases
19
Q

theoretical strengths

A
  • Qualitative data creates an accurate picture of how they really live - no lies - **validity **
  • Allows for verstehen - researcher able to gain empathy through personal experience
  • By living in the situation - able to gain the meanings and viewpoints,values and problems
  • Close living gives uniquely valid and authentic data - **insight **
20
Q

practical advantages

A
  • Allows sociologist to enter the situation with an open mind - so able to change direction at anytime data presents itself
  • Allows researcher to discover things other methods may have missed
  • covert cheap
21
Q

practical disadvantages

A

Practical
* Time consuming ( whyte’s study took 4 years)
* Researchers need to be trained on what to look out for (Requires interpersonal skills / observational skills)
* Stressful and demanding → covert research
* Many groups wish to not be studied in tis was / some have power to make access difficult → reason why observations are often on powerless groups

22
Q

ethical issues

A
  • Covert studies → deceive people to obtain info
  • Involvement in immoral / illegal activities
23
Q

theoretical disadvantages

A
    • Sample is often very small - doubtful external validity - **low representivity **
  • Depends on personal skills of the researcher so unlikely the results can be replicated
  • As produces qualitative data → comparisons can be difficult **low reliability **
  • Risk of becoming to involved and ‘going native’ - providing biassed view
  • Loyalty to the group leads to concealing of vital information
  • researcher selects what they see as noteworthy → bias may influence these judgements **bias **
24
Q

positivists view

A
  • Lack of structure / not reliable / replicable
  • Find that they are merely subjective and simply biassed impressions of the researcher → as they choose what’s noteworthy
25
Q

Interpretivists view

A
  • VALIDITY - gives true picture of what people think
  • Participation in the group given researcher first hand insights to behaviours and meanings
  • able to get own meanings