Observational techniques

Question 1

What is an observation & why are they useful?

Answer 1

• a non experimental method that allows researchers to study observable behaviour in a natural setting
• this gives researchers flexibility to study complex interactions

Question 2

What are naturalistic observations?

Answer 2

• they take place in a setting where target behaviour would usually occur
• all aspects of the environment are free to vary

Question 3

What are controlled observations?

Answer 3

• used when certain aspects of research need to be controlled
• e.g. Ainsworth’s Strange Situation involved a specially designed playroom to observe attachment between caregiver & infant
• controlled observations usually involve control of extraneous variables which would manipulate findings

Question 4

What are covert observations?

Answer 4

• pps are unaware that they’re the focus of the study & are being observed
• such behaviour must be public & happening anyway for the observation to be ethical

Question 5

What are overt observations?

Answer 5

• pps are aware their behaviour is being observed
• informed consent has been given beforehand

Question 6

What are participant observations?

Answer 6

The researcher becomes a member of the group whose behaviour they were observing

Question 7

What are non-participant observations?

Answer 7

• the researcher remains separate from the group whose behaviour they’re observing
• behaviour is recorded objectively (not influenced by personal opinions)

Question 8

Evaluation: Naturalistic & controlled observations

Answer 8

• naturalistic observations have high external validity since findings can be generalised to everyday life
• but lack of control makes it difficult to replicate research
• there may also be uncontrolled extraneous variables which make it difficult to identify patterns
• controlled observations produce findings that can’t be generalised so lack external validity however replication is easier since extraneous variables are controlled

Question 9

Evaluation: Covert & overt observations

Answer 9

• covert observations ensure behaviour observed is natural which increases validity of data
• ethics may be an issue since people don’t wish for their behaviour to be noted down
• overt observations are more ethically acceptable but behaviour observed may be significantly influenced by the fact that they’re aware their behaviour is being observed

Question 10

Evaluation: Participant and non-participant observations

Answer 10

• in pps observations researcher is given increased insight into the lives of their pps which may increase validity of findings
• researcher however may lose objectivity
• non pps observations allow researcher to maintain objective psychological distance from pps
• however valuable insight gained from pps observation is lost