Observational techniques

Question 1

What are the different types of observations?

Answer 1

Naturalistic or controlled
Overt or covert
Participant or non-participant

Question 2

What are the conditions in a naturalistic experiment?

Answer 2

Everything has been left as it is normally.

Question 3

What is a strength of using observations over other experimental techniques?

Answer 3

High validity as they directly record behaviour rather than what people say about their behaviour.

Question 4

What is a limitation of using observations over other experimental methods?

Answer 4

Only record observed behaviour and not what people think or feel.

Question 5

What is observer bias?

Answer 5

Observers’ observations are biased because their expectations affect what they see or hear, reducing the internal validity.