Observations

• Non-Participants Observations Strengths

  • More objective
  • safer for researcher
• Non-Participants Observations limitations

  • Can’t build rapport this reduces validity
  • Hawthorne effect
• Participant Observations Strengths

  • rapport and trust built- increases validity
  • verstehen as you can see through the eyes of participants and this increases validity
  • Qualitative data- valid
• Limitations of Participant observations

  • Lacks reliability as there is no control over what can happen so wont get similar results
  • not objective and subject to bias as as researcher spends lots of time with group this lowers validity
  • Expensive and time-consuming
  • Danger of going native- this means data collected is biased and lowers the validity
• What are the strengths of covert observations?

  • Less chnace of Hawthorne effect so increases validity
  • More Verstehen as you can build rapport and trust
  • Sometimes only way to observe certain groups
• What are the limitations of covert observations?

  • Unable to do open notetaking so have to rely on memory which could be risky and lower validity
  • Ethically wrong as deception and no informed consent could lead to psychological or physical harm to participants and researcher
  • Can be hard to maintain cover so might have to take part in llegal schemes
• WHat are the strengths of overt observations?

  • less ethical issues as you can gain informed consent, right to withdraw and no deception
  • open note taking so more accurate recordings and makes it more valid
• What are the limitations of overt observations?

  • Hawthorne effect- lowers validity