Research methods 5+6 Flashcards
what are controlled observations?
Participants’ behaviour is observed and measured in a controlled environment. For example, through a one way mirror or on a video.
what are the advantages of controlled observations?
Control over extraneous variables:
* The researcher manipulates the environment and/or the variables so it is unlikely that other factors will confound the results. This is a strength because it increases internal validity of the study.
Replicability:
* Controlled observations are replicable because the researcher has a high degree of control and uses standardised procedures. This is a strength because if the exact study is repeated and the same results are obtained the study has high external reliability.
what are the limitations of controlled observations?
Demand characteristics & Investigator effects are more likely to confound results
* As participants know that they are part of a study, are in a controlled environment and engaged in carefully set up tasks their behaviour may be affected by demand characteristics. This is a limitation because it decreases internal validity of the study.
Low ecological validity:
* As the setting of a controlled observation is not a typical one behaviour demonstrated in controlled observations may not reflect how participants would behave outside the research setting. This is a limitation because it decreases external (ecological) validity of the study.
what is a naturalistic observation?
Participants’ behaviour is watched and measured in a natural environment. The observer simply observes and records naturally occurring behaviour in a natural setting
what are the advantages of a naturalistic observation?
High ecological validity:
* The participants are in a natural environment so their behaviour is likely to be natural (particularly if the observation is also covert). This is a strength because it increases external (ecological) validity of the study.
Reduction of demand characteristics:
* Participants may be unaware that they are taking part in a study (particularly if the observation is also covert) so their behaviour is unlikely to be affected by demand characteristics. This is a strength because the study is likely to be measuring natural behaviour which increases internal validity of the study.
Ethical method for socially sensitive research:
* In a natural experiment it is possible to study variables that it would be unethical to manipulate in a controlled setting. This is a strength because they can provide insight into topics that could not be investigated in any other way.
Useful to use alongside/instead of a lab experiment:
* Naturalistic observations are a natural way of checking results that have been found in artificial conditions and also to check whether experimental findings apply outside laboratories. This is a strength because they can further our knowledge of a topic.
what are the limitations of naturalistic observations?
Low control over extraneous variables:
* As the situation is completely naturally occurring it is not possible to control extraneous variables. This is a limitation because it can reduce the internal validity of the study.
Difficult to replicate:
* As a result of low control over extraneous variables and no standardised procedures, the exact replication of a natural observation is more difficult than with a controlled observation. This is a limitation because it is very difficult to assess the external reliability of the results.
what are the limitations of a overt observation?
Demand characteristics may confound results
* As participants know that they are part of a study their behaviour may be affected by demand characteristics. This is a limitation because it decreases internal validity of the study.
what is overt (disclosed) observations?
The observer is clearly visible (not hidden from view) and participants know that they are being observed.
what are the strengths of overt observations?
Not unethical:
* As Participants know that they are being observed they can give informed consent and be fully debriefed at the end of the study. This is a strength as the study is ethical.
what are the strengths of a covert observations?
Demand characteristics will not confound results :
* As participants do not know that they are part of a study their behaviour will not be affected by demand characteristics. This is a strength because it increases the internal validity of the study.
what are the limitations of a covert observation?
There can be ethical issues:
* As Participants do not know that they are being observed they cannot give informed consent and be fully debriefed at the end of the study. This is a strength as the study may be considered unethical.
what is a covert (undisclosed) observation?
The observer is not clearly visible (hidden from view) and participants do not know that they are being observed
what is a participant observation?
The researcher becomes a member of the group
whose behaviour he/she is observing.
what is a non participant observation?
The researcher remains outside of the group and does not become a member of the group whose behaviour he/she is observing.
what are the strengths of a participant observations?
Increased insight:
* The researcher can experience the situation as the participants do which gives them increased insight into the lives of the people being studied. This is a strength because it may increase the internal validity of the study.
what are the strengths of a non participant observations?
Presence of the researcher is unlikely to confound the results (particularly if also a covert observation):
* The researcher does not become a member of the group whose behaviour he/she is observing so participants are likely to behave naturally. This is a strength as it increases the internal validity of the study.
Researcher bias is unlikely to confound results:
* The researcher does not become a member of the group whose behaviour he/she is observing which means that they are likely to be more objective than if carrying out a participant observation. This is a strength because it increases the internal validity of the results.
what are the limitations of a participant observation?
Presence of the researcher may confound the results:
* The researcher becomes a member of the group whose behaviour he/she is observing which may cause participants to behave unnaturally. This is a limitation as it would decrease the internal validity of the study.
Researcher bias may confound results:
* The researcher becomes a member of the group whose behaviour he/she is observing which means that they may become too involved in the group and may lose objectivity. This is a limitation because it would decrease the internal validity of the results.
what are the limitations of a non participant observation?
Decreased insight:
* The researcher will not experience the situation as the participants do so they may miss important subtleties and are likely to gather less data than in a participant observation. This is a limitation because it would decrease the internal validity of the study.
what is operationalisation?
- clear identification/definition of the observable actions/behaviours to be recorded
- this enables the behaviour under review to be measured objectively
what are the advantages and disadvantages of behavioural categories?
what is event sampling and what design is it part of?
observational design
The observers decide on a specific event relevant to the investigation and record it every time it is observed. This is useful when the behaviour happens quite infrequently and could be missed if time sampling were used e.g. counting the number of times players disagree with a referee during a football match
what are the limitations of event sampling?
If too many observations happen at once it may be difficult for the researcher to record all behaviour so results may not be representative of participants’ behaviour and therefore would not be valid.
what are the strengths of event sampling?
The observer aims to record all behaviour so the results are likely to be valid
what is time sampling and what design is it part of?
observational design
Observing and recording only behaviour that occurs at given points in time such as every 5 minutes e.g. a preschool researcher notes the number of aggressive physical interactions within a particular playgroup during 5-minute intervals.
