Observational design

• structured observation


  • pre-determined coding scheme and sampling method to record participant behaviour
  • target behaviours are simplified
• strengths of structured observation

  • recording of data is easier and more systematic
  • data is numerical, analysis is easier
• limitations of structured observation

  -behavioural categories may not include all behaviours
• Behavioural categories


  When a target behaviour is broken up into components that are observable and measurable
• strengths of behavioural categories

  Makes data collection more structured and objective
• limitations of behavioural categories

  categories may overlap
• Event sampling


  a target behaviour is identified, researchers record this behaviour every time it occurs
• strengths of event sampling


  useful in analysing a particular target behaviour
• limitations of event sampling

  -too many behaviours occurring at once make it difficult for the researcher to record everything

  -if the event is too complex, it's difficult to record
• time sampling


  a measurement of the presence or absence of behavior within specific time intervals
• strengths of time sampling

  reduces number of observations
• limitations of time sampling


  unrepresentative of the observation as a whole
• inter-observer reliability


  -at least 2 researchers: maintain objectivity

  -researchers must be consistent in judgement

  -any data recorded is the same or similar
• unstructured observation


  behaviours of interest are not specified before the study, observers note everything and anything
• strengths of unstructured observation


  depth of detail in data collected
• limitations of unstructured observation

  -observer bias

  -may only record eye catching behaviours, not necessarily the most important or useful

  -qualitative data, hard to record and analyse