The observation method Flashcards
WHAT IS THE NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION?
Involves observing spontaneous naturally occurring behaviour.
STRENGTHS OF NATURALISTIC?
High ecological validity.
Reduces chance of demand characteristics.
WEAKNESSES OF NATURALISTIC?
No consent given- ethical issues raised.
Lack of control therefore less replicable.
WHAT IS CONTROLLED OBSERVATION?
Involving recording spontaneous behaviour in conditions manipulated by the researcher.
STRENGTHS OF CONTROLLED?
Greater levels of control therefore more replicable.
Less issues with ethics.
WEAKNESSES OF CONTROLLED?
Lower ecological validity.
Increased chance of demand characteristics.
WHAT IS PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION?
Involves the researcher engaging with the ps.
STRENGTHS OF PARTICIPANT?
High in ecological validity.
Provides an insight into behaviour which would be otherwise difficult to observe.
WEAKNESSES OF PARTICIPANT?
Ethics raised.
Hard to record data.
WHAT IS NON PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION?
The researcher doesn’t engage with ps.
STRENGTHS OF NON PARTICIPANT?
High ecological validity.
Less chance of demand characteristics because theres less chance of the researcher getting seen.
WEAKNESSES OF NON PARTICIPANT?
Ethics raised- no consent, no debrief etc…
Can’t always access behaviour you are trying to gather.
WHAT IS OVERT OBSERVATION?
Ps are aware that they are been observed.
STRENGTHS OF OVERT?
Consent given- more ethical as ps are aware.
WEAKNESSES OF OVERT?
Increase in demand characteristics
WHAT IS COVERT OBSERVATION?
Ps are unaware they are been observed.
STRENGTHS OF COVERT?
Less likely to display demand characteristics.
WEAKNESSES OF COVERT?
No consent- less ethical, ps don’t know they are been observed.
WHAT IS A STRUCTURED OBSERVATION?
Specific pre-determined categories.
STRENGTHS OF STRUCTURED?
Specific categories- more standardised easy to replicate.
Gives you quantitative data which is easier to analyse.
WEAKNESSES OF STRUCTURED?
May end up missing behaviours that are outside the categories designed.
Not much detail- quant data.
WHAT IS UNSTRUCTURED OBSERVATION?
Record of any relevant behaviour.
STRENGTH OF UNSTRUCTURED?
Record all behaviours.
Lots of detail- qual data.
WEAKNESSES OF UNSTRUCTURED?
Hard to replicate- not standardised.
Gives you qual data which is harder to analyse.
WHAT IS EVENT SAMPLING?
Categories of behaviour and tally every time the behaviour occurs.
STRENGTHS OF EVENT SAMPLING?
Limits the behaviour observed so less likely to be missed.
Produces quant data.
WEAKNESSES OF EVENT SAMPLING?
Behaviours may be missed if lots occur at the same time.
WHAT IS TIME SAMPLING?
Behaviour is observed for discrete periods of time e.g. every 5 seconds.
STRENGTHS OF TIME SAMPLING?
More accurate as not observing for long periods of time.
WEAKNESSES OF TIME SAMPLING?
May miss behaviour that occurs in breaks.
