Observational research

Cards (21)

  • A research method is just an observation with a research question - no manipulation of an iv
  • Data collection technique has a clear manipulated iv and hypothesis
  • Naturalistic observations are studied in a natural seeing and is normally non participant and overt
  • Structured observations are normally in a lab like a controlled enviroment with situations set up
  • Participant observations - is when the observer becomes part of a group
  • Non participant observations are where the observer is not involved in the action
  • Covert is when the participants do not know they are being observed
  • Overt is when participants do know they are being observed
  • Collecting quantitive data using categorised recording systems
  • Collecting qualitative data using descriptive note taking
  • Naturalistic strengths
    • High ecological validity (generalised well)
    • High validity as people are in their natural environment
  • Naturalistic weaknesses
    • People may become aware they are being studied and change their behaviour accordingly. Threatens validity
    • Hard to replicate so low reliability
    • Lack of control over extraneous variables
    • Lots of serious ethical breaches yet its generally acceptable to observe people in a natural environment
  • Strengths of structured observations
    • Allows more control over the environment (standardised) so better replication - high reliability
  • Weaknesses of structured observations
    • Low ecological validity as it is artificial - less natural behaviour so low validity
  • Participant observation strengths
    • More meaningful and rich data
    • High ecological value
  • Participant observation weaknesses
    • Difficult to record when involved
    • Prone to bias as its all about recall
    • Getting involved leads to subjectivity so low validity
    • Ethical issues raised - deception
  • Non participant observation strengths
    • High objectivity as they are not involved
    • Better validity due to better recording
  • Non participant observations weaknesses
    • Little understanding lower validity
    • Ethical issues questioned like invasion of privacy
  • Continuous observation is where the observer records everything including targeting behaviour
  • Time sampling is recording for set times and breaks
  • Event sampling is recording certain behaviour every time it occurs within the observation period