Observations

Question 1

What is a participant observation?

Answer 1

Where the researcher participates in the activity under the study

Question 2

Strengths of participant observation

Answer 2

• the researcher develops a relationship with the group under study
• therefore they can gain a greater understanding of the group’s behaviour

Question 3

Weaknesses of participant observations

Answer 3

• the researcher loses objectivity by becoming part of the group
• the pps may act differently if they know a researcher is amongst them

Question 4

What is a non participant observation

Answer 4

When the researcher observes the activity without getting involved in it
+the researcher can remain objective throughout the study
-the researcher loses a sense of the group dynamics by staying seperate from the group

Question 5

What are natural observations?

Answer 5

• take place in a natural environment

- unobtrusive observational study

Question 6

Strengths of natural observations

Answer 6

• pps unaware that they are being observed, so behave naturally
• provide richer and fuller infomation because it is a natural evironment
• work well with children and animals because they can’t follow directions
• easier to generalise to real life

Question 7

Weaknesses of natural observations

Answer 7

• researcher has no control of variables so it’s hard to establish cause and effect. This means replicating can be harder
• is pps become aware they are being observed so behaviour can be different
• could pose ethical issues if they don’t know they are being observed
• developing and training observers takes time
• impossible to replicate because no control of variables

Question 8

What are controlled observations

Answer 8

often take place in a lab so researcher can control the conditions

Question 9

Strengths of controlled observations

Answer 9

good control of variables so experiment can be replicated

• less risk of extraneous variables influencing the pps behaviour than a natural observation between all variables are controlled
• rich and more complete data than experimental studies because it produces limited responses

Question 10

Weaknesses of controlled observation

Answer 10

• conducted in an artifical situation which can influence behaviour- might act differently
• harder to generalise to other situations becase it isn’t a real life situation
• investigator effects can be an issue because it can change your behaviour
• demand characteristics can be present

Question 11

What is inter rater reliability

Answer 11

the extent to which two or more persons agree when coding behaiour

Question 12

What is intra rater reliability

Answer 12

refers to whether the same observer is coding behaviour in the same way

Question 13

Participant and non participant observations can be overt or covert. What are overt observations?

Answer 13

where the researcher’s presence is obvious to the pps

Question 14

Strengths of overt observations

Answer 14

much more ethically sound than other methods because the pps are aware of the research

Question 15

Weaknesses of overt observations

Answer 15

people might change their behaviour if they know their being observed

Question 16

Participant and non participant observations can be overt or covert. What are covert observations?

Answer 16

Where the researcher’s presence is unknown to the pps

Question 17

Strengths of covert observations

Answer 17

pps more likely to behave naturally

Question 18

Weaknesses of covert observations

Answer 18

gaining ethical approval may be difficult

Question 19

Disclosed vs undisclosed observation

Answer 19

• disclosed- aware of what’s happening

- undisclosed- not aware

Question 20

What is an observation

Answer 20

observing behaviour convertly or openly as a pp in the activity

Question 21

What is event sampling

Answer 21

• focuses on action or events that are of particular interest to the researcher
• counts the number of times that behaviour occurs

Question 22

What is point sampling

Answer 22

one individual is observed in order to categorise their current behaviour, after which a second individual is observed

Question 23

What is time sampling

Answer 23

observations are made only during specified time periods