Participant Observations Flashcards
Humphreys
He was interested in men who participated in sexual activities in public places
Homosexuality was illegal and Humphrey acted as the lookout
He obtained personal information about the men he observed using their license plates, and through police contacts so he was able to get their address and background information.
He then visited them and interviewed participants as part of their health survey a year later
He disguised his appearance during the survey, so he wouldn’t be recognised by the men he had met
He found out 14% men were actively part of the gay community, and most were in relationships with a woman
Humphrey had to protect the identity of his respondents
His colleagues were worried that Humphrey had damaged the social standing of sociology
Griffin
He investigated racism towards black people in southern
Southern states were heavily segregated and the racist KKK were strong in the south
Public places such as schools, Cafes and transport were all racially segregated and black people had faced discrimination in housing, jobs and civil rights
He wanted to experience racism firsthand, so he used sunlamps and medication to turn his skin black
He found out that even though he was a university Professor and expert on race issues, he knew nothing about it until he saw it from himself
Barker
She studied the members of the unification church which had been a controversial religious sect
At the time there had been bad press and accusations of the unification church corrupting, brainwashing and kidnapping their members
She wanted to find whether these accusations are true
Over six years, Barker spent time with the Moonies
She accepted the risk that this could mean the people she was studying, could be affected by her presence
She attended the meetings workshops, but she found no evidence of any brainwashing
