Types Of Observation Flashcards
Observation
Non-experimental. Provide psychologists with a way of seeing what people do without having to ask them. They also allow researchers to study observable behaviour within a natural controlled setting. This method allows a researcher the flexibility to study more complex interactions between variables. Often assesses dependant variable.
Naturalistic and controlled observations
-Naturalistic observations take place in the setting or context when the target behaviour usually occurs.
-controlled observation means you can control certain aspects of the research situation.-Some control over variables, including manipulating variables to observe effects and also control of confounding/extraneous variables.
Covert and overt observations
Covert-participants are unaware they are focus of study, behaviour is observed in secret. Must be public and happening anyway if the observation is to be ethical.
Overt-participants known their behaviour is being observed and have given informed consent beforehand.
Participant and non-participant observations
Participant-researcher becomes a member of the group whose behaviour they are recording.
Non-participant- researcher remains outside the group whose behaviour they are watching. May be impossible to join group.
Evaluation-all observations
Observations of behaviour have benefit of capturing what people actually do, which may be unexpected behaviour. Give special insight into behaviour.
Limitation is that there is observer bias. Observers interpretation of situation may be affected by their expectations. This may be reduced by using more than one observer.
Another limitation is observational studies cannot demonstrate causal relationships-though observational techniques may be used in experiments and aid in detecting cause-and-effect relstionships.
Evaluation-naturalistic and controlled observations
High external validity-finding generalised. Behaviour studied within environment where they’d normally occur. Lack of control makes replication more difficult. Many confounding/extraneous variables.
Controlled observations may produce findings that cannot be as readily applied to everyday life. Confounding/extraneous variables may be less of a factor so replication of the observation becomes easier.
Evaluation-covert and overt observations
No demand characteristics-don’t know they being watched. Natural behaviours. High internal validity.
Ethics of these studies may be questioned as people, even in public, may not wish to have their behaviours noted down (right to privacy). For example shopping is normal but people might not want amount they spend to be noted down.
Overt observations are more ethically acceptable but the knowledge participants have that they are being observed may act as a significant influence on their behaviour.
Evaluation-participant and non-participant observations
In participant observations, researchers get increased insight into the lives of the people being studied. Increase the validity of findings. Researcher may lose objectivity, may come to identify too strongly with those they are studying. Line between being a researcher and participant becomes blurred.
Non-participant observations allow the researcher to maintain an objective psychological distance from their participants , less danger of them adopting a local lifestyle. However they may lose valuable insight to be gained in a participant observations as they are too far removed from the people and behaviour they are studying.
Inter-observer reliability
Two researchers-reduced bias
