Participant observation

• • COVERT PO = the sociologist goes undercover; people are unaware that they are being observed
• • Ethnography = joining in with people in order to study them (ethnographic research)
• • Adam Holloway = Homelessness = COVERT = revealed how hard it was to live on the streets for a month by using a hidden camera to record the struggles in which homeless people face on a daily basis. He managed to get into a homeless shelter and ask other people what their experiences were on the danger of being homeless. However, he got personally involved in danger himself be selling cigarettes
• • Erving Goffman = Labelling on the mentally ill = COVERT = worked as a hospital porter in a mental asylum to investigate the way in which people were labelled as being “mentally-ill.” By being present, he was able to describe and understand the process of labelling, and why patients behaved as they did.
• • Laud Humphries = Tearooms = COVERT = research into homosexual behaviour in American public toilets. He wanted to see why straight married men have causal sexual encounters with gay men in tearooms. He adopted the role of being a ‘watcher’ (and kept lookout while others engaged in sex). Once accepted apart of the scene, he got 12 participants in convo and revealed his research interests to them. All of them were happy to talk only if their identity was kept anonymous. However, questions were raised about his objectivity (gay himself) and the ethics behind his research.
• • Advantages of COVERT PO:

  • It gives valid info
• • Disadvantages of COVERT PO:

  • Unethical - people have not given consent / invasion of privacy

  • It can be very dangerous or illegal

  • It’s difficult to gain entry into a group

  • It only involves studying small groups = not representative

  • Sociologists can become too involved or become subjective

  • It doesn’t provide quantitative data or statistics = not a scientific method

  • Not reliable = it can’t be accurately checked

  • Covert P.O = doesn’t allow for informed consent = people do not give permission to be studied
• • OVERT P.O = the sociologist gets permission to observe: at least one person is aware that they are being observed
• • P.O has Ecological Validity = observing people in their natural environment.

  • However, the Hawthorne Effect may occur = people change their behaviour if they know they are being observed.
• • The sociologist can become too involved and subjective. = known as “going native” = completely immersing yourself in a different culture
• • William Whyte = Chicago gang OVERTLY = observed a gang in Chicago. He was concerned with the social disorganisation in slum areas. He used the cover that he was writing a book about Cornerville, to explain his presence. However, he found that acceptance in the district depended on personal relationships. Fortunately, Doc the leader of the Norton Street gang, accepted him and acted as a key informant. Doc would look and point out any sorts of observations that Whyte was interested in and would explain what had happened. Whyte has admitted that his presence may very well have influenced the gang members, especially his helper Doc.
• • Peter Woods = OVERT = investigation in primary schools. He was aware that his presence could influence behaviour, but he felt that younger children acted ‘normally’ and didn’t feel intimidated. Equally, the pupils enjoyed having him in the classroom, and would often talk to him about their experiences.
• • Advantages of OVERT PO:

  • safer

  • More ethical

  • Easier to make notes and ask questions

  • Easier to gain entry and to leave
• • Disadvantages of OVERT PO:

  • Less valid = people can change their behaviour

  • Not reliable and representative

  • The sociologist can still become subjective