Observations

• What are the 6 types of Observations?

  • Naturalistic vs controlled
  • Covert vs overt
  • Participant vs non-participant
• What does Naturalistic vs controlled mean?


  Naturalistic: Watching and recording behaviour in the setting within which it would normally happen.

  Controlled: Watching and recording behaviour within a structured environment.
• What does Covert vs overt mean?

  Covert: Participants’ behaviours are watched and recorded without their knowledge or consent.

  Overt: Participants’ behaviours are watched and recorded with their knowledge or consent.
• What does Participant vs non-participant mean?


  Participant: Researcher becomes a member of the group whose behaviour he/she is watching and recording.

  Non-participant: Researcher remains outside of the group whose behaviour he/she is watching and recording.
• What are the 2 types of observational designs?

  • Structured observations (time vs even sampling, categorised, targets).
  • Unstructured observation (constant recording, all behaviours)
• What is a Structured observation?

  Focus on target behaviours that are decided on prior to observation.
• What is an Unstructured observation?

  Focus on all behaviour that are shown within the observation (record everything they see).
• Positives and negatives of structured and unstructured observations

  
• Structured observations have present behaviour categories (adding tallies to certain categories). Either time sampling or event sampling will happen.

  -> Time sampling: recording in intervals (not constantly)

  -> Event sampling: recording whenever you notice anything (constantly)