Types of Observations

Question 1

Overt

Answer 1

PPs behaviour is observed and recorded with their knowledge and consent

Question 2

Overt

+/-

Answer 2

+ More ethically acceptable

- May influence their behaviour

Question 3

Covert

Answer 3

• Behaviour is observed without their knowledge and consent

Question 4

Covert

+/-

Answer 4

+ Their behaviour is ensured to be natural
+ Validity of data is increased

• Questionable ethics: people may not want their behaviours to be observed

Question 5

Participant

Answer 5

Researcher become part of the group they are watching

Question 6

Participant

+/-

Answer 6

+ Researcher can experience the situation as pps do
+ Increased insight increases validity of findings

• Researcher may come to identify too strongly with those they are studying, losing objectivity
• ‘going native’: line between researcher and PP becomes blurred

Question 7

Non-participant

Answer 7

Researcher remains outside of group

Question 8

Non-participant

+/-

Answer 8

+ Less danger of ‘going native’
+ Allows researcher to maintain an objective psychological distance from PPs

• May lose valuable insight
• Too removed from those they are studying

Question 9

Controlled

Answer 9

Watching and recording behaviour within a structured environment

Question 10

Controlled

+/-

Answer 10

+ Replication is easier
+ Less extraneous variables

• Cannot be as readily applied to irl settings

Question 11

Naturalistic

Answer 11

Watching in the setting within which it would normally occur

Question 12

Naturalistic

+/-

Answer 12

+ High external validity: findings can be generalised to everyday life

• Lack of control over the research situation makes replication more difficult
• May be many uncontrolled extraneous variables