Research Methods: observations

Question 1

What is a naturalistic observation?

Answer 1

This is where the participants’ normal everyday behaviour is recorded in their own environment.

Question 2

What is a controlled observation?

Answer 2

This involves setting up an artificial setting in which a particular aspect of behaviour ban be studied in a way that would not be possible during a naturalistic observation.

Question 3

What are the advantages of a naturalistic observation?

Answer 3

high degree of natural behaviour so findings can be generalized to everybody

less demand characteristics

Question 4

What is a disadvantage of naturalistic observations?

Answer 4

Hard to control variables so can’t establish cause and effect.

Question 5

What are the advantages of a controlled observation?

Answer 5

High levels of control so easier to establish cause and effect

easier to replicate?

Question 6

What are the disadvantages of controlled observations?

Answer 6

demand characteristics

lack of ecological validity due to artificial setting

Question 7

What is a covert observation?

Answer 7

those you are observing don’t know that they are being observed

Question 8

What is an overt observation?

Answer 8

Those you are observing know that they are being observed.

Question 9

What are the advantages of a covert observation?

Answer 9

lack of demand characteristics so results are more valid

Question 10

What are the disadvantages of a covert observation?

Answer 10

lack of informed consent produces ethical issues

Question 11

What are the advantages of an overt observation?

Answer 11

ethically sound as participants know they are being observed and have given informed consent

Question 12

What are the disadvantages of an overt observation?

Answer 12

Participants may not behave naturally which could lead to demand characteristics.

Question 13

What is a participant observation?

Answer 13

This is where the researcher observes people whilst join into the activities and situation.

Question 14

What is a non-participant observation?

Answer 14

This is where the researcher remains outside of the group and observes.

Question 15

What is an advantage of a participant observation?

Answer 15

greater insight gained by being part of the group hence increased validity to findings

Question 16

What is the disadvantage of a participant observation?

Answer 16

objectivity of observations are affected by being part of the group-investigator effects

Question 17

What is the advantage of non-participant observations?

Answer 17

lack of direct involvement ensures greater objectivity

Question 18

What is the disadvantage of non-participant observation?

Answer 18

data lacks richness that is provided by participant observations such as motivation of participants.

Question 19

What is a structured observation?

Answer 19

this is where the researcher looks for target behaviours and produce quantitative data.

Question 20

What is an unstructured observation?

Answer 20

this is where the researcher writes down everything they see and produces qualitative data.

Question 21

What are the advantages of a structured observation?

Answer 21

using behavioural categories makes the recording of data easier and more systematic.

produces quantitative data so it is easier to analyse.

more objective and scientific

Question 22

What are the disadvantages of a structured observation?

Answer 22

less rich and detailed

Question 23

What are the advantages of an unstructured observation?

Answer 23

rich and in-depth detail

behaviour can be put into context

Question 24

What are the disadvantages of an unstructured observation?

Answer 24

uses qualitative data which may be hard to analyse and record

subjective analysis

greater risk of observer bias as they may only record things that ‘catch their eye’ and these may not be important/useful.

Question 25

For a target behaviour to be able to studied, what should it be?

Answer 25

observable and measureable

Question 26

What should a researcher make sure that his behavioural categories are before starting an observation?

Answer 26

categories must be unambiguous

all possible forms of the target behaviour should be included to make sure there is no ‘dustbin’ category.

categories should not overlap

categories must be observable, measurable and sel-evident.

Question 27

What are the two sampling methods in observations?

Answer 27

event sampling

time sampling

Question 28

What is event sampling?

Answer 28

this involves counting the number of times a particular behaviour (the event) in a target individual or group

Question 29

What is time sampling?

Answer 29

this involves recording behaviour within a pre-established time frame.

Question 30

What are the advantages of event sampling?

Answer 30

useful when the target behaviour or event happens infrequently and could be missed if time sampling was used.

Question 31

What are the disadvantages of event sampling?

Answer 31

if the specified event is too complex then important details may be overlooked.

Question 32

What are the advantages of time sampling?

Answer 32

is effective in reducing the number of observations that have to be made

Question 33

What are the disadvantages of time sampling?

Answer 33

those instances when behaviour is sampled may be unrepresentative of the observation as a whole.