Observations

Question 1

participant observation

Answer 1

researcher joins group being studied to see world the way they do

Question 2

participant observation - theoretical context

Answer 2

interpretivist
understand world from their point of view
verstehen
qualitative data
researcher avoid letting values affect observation

Question 3

participant observation - getting in

Answer 3

researcher shares personal characteristics of group

requires permission from higher authorities (affects behaviour)

Question 4

participant observation - covert tole

Answer 4

researcher conceals their role

Question 5

participant observation - when is covert role used?

Answer 5

when overt researcher seen as threat/unwelcome or risk people changing their behaviour

Question 6

participant observation - problems of covert role

Answer 6

• full participant may involve participating in illegal/unpleasant act
• difficult to ask questions & take notes without being suspicious
• moral and ethical issues

Question 7

participant observation - overt role

Answer 7

researcher reveals their identity and purpose of research to group

Question 8

participant observation - benefit of overt role

Answer 8

• openness, honesty builds trust
• research able to ask questions, interview, take notes, avoid illegal behaviour
• morally and ethically correct

Question 9

participant observation - problems of overt role

Answer 9

people aware they’re being studies - affects behaviour and validity

Question 10

participant observation - staying in

Answer 10

• observer gains trust and cooperation
• extensive note-taking may disrupt behaviour
• how far to get involved without losing trust of group or objective of research

Question 11

participant observation - getting out

Answer 11

• leaving group without damaging relationships
• becoming detached to write accurate account
• members unidentifiable

Question 12

participant observation - advantages

Answer 12

• in-depth valid data
• hypothesis/theories emerge throughout research
• understand meanings of social situation for group
• may be only possible method
• normal social situation
• less chance that researcher can be misled

Question 13

participant observation - disadvantage

Answer 13

• what is regarded as important differs between researchers, depends heavily their characteristics (in-built bias)
• not reliable
• positivists; data not quantifiable, selective observation: researchers interpretation of findings
• quotations written latter so partially recalled (validity)
• hawthorne effect
• researcher may become too involved, difficult to report findings in neutral way
• time-consuming/expensive
• small group studied (not representative)
• ethical issues
• researcher may face personal danger

Question 14

non-participant observation

Answer 14

carried out without researcher participating

carried out without knowledge of recipient

Question 15

non-participant observation - when is this used?

Answer 15

when groups unwilling to cooperate in research (ethical)

Question 16

non-participant observation - benefits

Answer 16

• avoids hawthorne effect

- normal social situation

Question 17

non-participant observation - problems

Answer 17

• won’t be able to understand meanings attached to behaviour

- data reflects interpretations of researcher (reduces reliability, validity)