Observational Techniques

• what is a naturalistic observation?

  recording behaviour in a setting or context where target behaviour would occur
• what is a controlled observation?

  recording behaviour in a more artificial & structured environment, where the variables are manipulated
• what is a covert observation?

  when the participants in the observation don't know they are being watched & don't know that the study is taking place
• what is an overt observation?

  when participants know that they are being observed, and know that the study is taking place. -> so informed consent would be needed
• what is a participant observation?


  an observation where the observer is within the group that is being studied, allowing for the researcher to get a first hand account
• what is a non-participant observation?

  the observer watching the group of participants from a distance/separated. Recording objectively
• what is an unstructured observation?

  an observation where you record everything you see
• what is a structured observation?

  identifying specific behaviours that make up your target behaviour - 'behaviour categories'
• what categories are paired together?

  • non-participant & participant observations
  • covert & overt observations
  • naturalistic & controlled observations
  • unstructured & structured observations
• what are behavioral categories?

  when target behaviour is broken down into components that are different from each other and can be observed in a measurable way

  e.g. a tally system
• what are the types of sampling in an observation?

  • event sampling
  • time sampling
• what is event sampling?

  when you record behaviour every time it happens in a set time frame
• what is time sampling?

  recording behaviour in a pre-established time frame. E.g. every 30 seconds
• how do you gain inter-reliability?

  • using more than one observer, observing at the same time
  • having them observe separately and comparing their results