Psychology > Observation > Flashcards

Observation Flashcards

(47 cards)

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1
Q

What is a structured observation?

A

An observation in which the observer records how many times specific, pre-determined behaviours occur.

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2
Q

What are the strengths of a structured observation?

A
  • Makes it easier to focus on relevant behaviours to your study (only have to record a few set behaviours).
  • Gathers quantitative data which is easier to compare.
  • Should make observers more consistent in recording behaviours (high inter-rater reliability).
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3
Q

What are the weaknesses of a structured observation?

A
  • Any behaviours that are not in your pre-determined categorised are not recorded.
  • Doesn’t collect qualitative data so lacks detail.
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4
Q

What is an example of a structured observation?

A

Bandura’s ‘bobo doll’ experiment

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5
Q

What is an unstructured observation?

A

An observation in which the observer continuously records behaviour, noting down everything that happens.

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6
Q

What are the strengths of an unstructured observation?

A
  • No pre-determined categories therefore all behaviours are recorded.
  • Collect qualitative data which is detailed.
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7
Q

What are the weaknesses of an unstructured observation?

A
  • Observers may record different behaviours (low inter-rater reliability).
  • May be difficult to record everything.
  • Gathers qualitative data which is harder to analyse and compare.
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8
Q

What is an example of an unstructured observation?

A

Zimbardo et al’s Stanford Prison Experiment

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9
Q

What is a coding frame?

A

A tally chart that gets filled in during a structured observation.

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10
Q

What are behavioural categories?

A

The boxes relating to the different behaviours that the observer is looking for, found within a coding frame.

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11
Q

What is a naturalistic observation?

A

When the observation is carried out in a participant’s natural environment.

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12
Q

What are the strengths of a naturalistic observation?

A
  • Natural behaviours are seen (higher ecological validity).
  • Less chance of demand characteristics as participants are unlikely to know they are being observed.
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13
Q

What are the weaknesses of a naturalistic observation?

A
  • Less control of extraneous variables.
  • Harder to record behaviour (e.g. in distance, other people in the way, etc…).
  • Harder / impossible to replicate.
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14
Q

What is an example of a naturalistic observation?

A
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15
Q

What is a controlled observation?

A

When the observation is carried out in conditions contrived by the researcher such as a labatory setting.

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16
Q

What are the strengths of a controlled observation?

A
  • Fewer extraneous variables.
  • Easier to record behaviour.
  • Easier to replicate.
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17
Q

What are the weaknesses of a controlled observation?

A
  • Lower ecological validity.
  • Risk of demand characteristics if participants know what they are being observed on.
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18
Q

What is an example of a controlled observation?

A

Milgram’s Study of Obedience

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19
Q

What is a participant observation?

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A

Where the researcher / observer is part of, or pretending to be part of, the group they are observing.

20
Q

What are the strengths of a participant observation?

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A
  • Can possibly see behaviours not visible in a public setting.
  • Can offer a deeper insight into behaviour and the reasons behind the actions seen.
21
Q

What are the weaknesses of a participant observation?

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A
  • Can be difficult to record data without drawing attention to yourself within the group being observed.
  • Unethical if they don’t know their group has been joined by someone there to observe and collect data on them.
22
Q

What is an example of a participant observation?

23
Q

What is a non-participant observation?

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A

Where the researcher / observer is not part of the group they are observing and can look at it from the outside.

24
Q

What are the strengths of a non-participant observation?

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A
  • Easier to make the data records (e.g. tally up frequency of event) as observing from outside the group.
  • More ethical as observing within a public setting and unlikely to impact on the participants.
25
What are the weaknesses of a non-participant observation?
- Could make incorrect assumptions of behaviour and the reasons for the actions seen as watching from outside the group. - Potentially lacks insight into behaviours not visible in public settings.
26
What is an example of a non-participant observation?
27
What is a covert observation?
When those being observed (‘participants’) are unaware that they are being observed.
28
What are the strengths of a covert observation?
- No demand characteristics as the participants don’t know they are being watched. - Can observe easily in a range of places as no consent is being gained from the participants.
29
What are the weaknesses of a covert observation?
- Can be difficult to record data without drawing attention to yourself as trying to not be obvious. - Less ethical as the participants don’t know that data is being collected on them.
30
What is an example of a covert observation?
Piliavin’s Subway Samaritan
31
What is a covert observation otherwise known as?
Undisclosed observation
32
What is an overt observation?
When those being observed are aware that they are being observed and have usually explicitly given consent.
33
What are the strengths of an overt observation?
- Ethical as the participants do know that they are being observed and data is being collected on them. - Easier to record behaviour as can be quite open in tallying behaviours as they occur.
34
What are the weaknesses of an overt observation?
- Risk of participants changing their behaviour as they know they are being observed (***CHECK*** demand characteristics). - Limited generalisability by which would agree to be observed.
35
What is an example of an overt observation?
36
What is an overt observation otherwise known as?
Disclosed observation
37
What is time sampling?
When an event / behaviour is recorded at fixed intervals.
38
What are the strengths of time sampling?
- Can see when behaviours occur and if it changes over the time period. - Does not require the observer to concentrate throughout the time period.
39
What are the weaknesses of time sampling?
- Data recorded may not be fully representative of what occurred. - Can miss interesting data between time points.
40
What is an example of time sampling?
Bandura’s ‘Bobo Doll’ experiment
41
What is event sampling?
When an event / behaviour is recorded each time it happens.
42
What are the strengths of event sampling?
- All behaviours are recorded (nothing is missed out). - Better for recording behaviours which are not frequent.
43
What are the weaknesses of event sampling?
- Time consuming and difficult to keep concentration over a long period of time. - Difficult to record all behaviour if there is a lot going on. - Does not tell you when the behaviour occurs.
44
What is an example of event sampling?
45
What is researcher / observer bias?
When the researcher / observer has a particular expectation of what they are likely to see during the observational period and so are more likely to record data in the way they expect.
46
What is researcher / observer effect?
Effects on participants (and their behaviour or responses) which are brought about by the researcher’s / observer’s presence.
47
What is inter-rater reliability?
Whether two or more observers consistently observe and record the same behaviour.
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