THEORY & METHODS - Observations Flashcards
What practical strengths are there
- Open ended = flexibility = formulate new explanations + research opportunities out of the blue can be seized
- may be the only method useable to observe deviant groups
What practical strengths are there for overt research
- Once accepted, easy to retain membership in the group
- Can openly ask questions to clarify so validity increase
What practical limitations are there
- Time consuming
- Needs thorough training
- Lacks objectivity = risk of going native
What practical limitations are there for covert research
- Personally stressful and demanding
- Characteristics of the researcher may restrict what groups can be studied
- Getting in, staying in and getting out may be difficulty
- Having to write notes from memory = undermining validity
- Direct questions may raise suspicions
What practical limitations are there for overt research
Access may be denied
What ethical strengths are there for covert research
- Allows sociologist to build a rapport = more likely to open up
- Helps us investigate deviant groups
What ethical limitations are there
- Overt
- Covert
- Some may include immoral and illegal activity
OVERT: Often difficult to ensure the anonymity of small groups
COVERT: Deceit
Are observations reliable.
Why
not very
- Dependency on personal skills and characteristics of a lone researcher makes it almost impossible for any other investigator to replicate the original study
- Qualitative data = making comparisons difficult = non reliable data
In what ways are observations valid?
- In covert observations
- Naturalistic approach = truer account of the groups behaviour in their normal life
- Authenticity = more authentic view of the world
- Less chance of participant lying
- Open research = ability to expand and explore
- Data is detailed
COVERT: Group acts normally = more valid data
In what ways are observations not valid
- Positivists
- Overt
- Covert
- Interpretation problems - can never be certain they have understood the meanings of the event in the same way as the participant
- loyalty to the group = concealing vital information = less valid results
POSITIVISTS: Argue its the researchers choice on what they think is worth recording = bias
OVERT: Hawthorne effect = people act different defeating the main aim to produce a naturalistic environment
COVERT: Going native
- Staying in = writing notes from memory = undermining validity
Examples of observations, what type, what happened
- Cicourel - why did she have to use covert research
- Partick - how does this show the problem of getting out
- Venkatesh
- Pearson
- Humphrey
CICOUREL: STUDY OF HOW POLICE AND PROBATION OFFICERS CATEGORISE JUVENILES BY MAKING CONSCIOUS ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THEY ARE CRIMINAL TYPES
- Covert because it wouldve been useless to ask questions as they are unaware of their assumptions
PATRICK: GLASGOW GANG OBSERVED
- Covert
- he was so scared of the violent gang he didnt publish his results till several years later - undermined validity due to notes from memory - gang didnt give their consent - also present during illegal acts
VENKATESH: GANG LEADER FOR A DAY
- Overt
- Observed and participated in a gang doing illegal activities
PEARSON: FOOTBALL HOOLIGANISM
- Covert
- he defended his own hooliganism - went native
HUMPHREY: IMPERSONAL SEX IN PUBLIC PLACES
- Covert
- Acted as a lookout for men who were meeting for sex in public toilets
- Followed up his study with interviews (claiming to be a health professional)
How are observations not representative
- The group studied is usually small
- Group studied is also usually selected haphazardly
- Many groups wish not to be studied in this way + some may have the power to make studying them hard = why PO focuses on powerless groups who are less able to resist
Why do interpretivists like observations
- It uncovers people meanings and helps gain a clear view of understanding the respondents views of the world
- Verstehen - can gain a deep understanding through the participants personal experience
Why do positivists reject observations
- See it as unsystematic
- Cant be replicated by other researchers
- PO simply tells it as the researcher sees it
Why do structural theorists reject observations too
- Focuses too much on the micro level of actors’ meanings
- ignores the wider structural focuses that shape our behaviour like norms and values
- We are only seeing things through the actors’ eyes = never a chance of obtaining a true picture
