observations

• Types of observation:

  participant- the observer is a participant in whats being observed

  non participant- the observer is not a participant

  structured observation- some variables may be manipulated not all

  naturalistic observation- everything is left as usual

  covert - participant is not aware of being observed

  overt- unaware of being observed
• strengths of observations:

  • participant observation allows the researcher to gain valid insight into reasons behind behaviour being observed
  • covert observation gain highest validity as will be no demand characteristics present or social desirability
• weaknesses of observations

  • covert could be considered unethical ( BPS code of ethics) as participants cannot give their informed consent
  • structured observations are less useful as there is low validity in the human behaviour seen due to the artificially constructed in the setting
• what is content analysis?

  a research method used to analyze qualitative data by quantifying it ( turning qualitative data into quantitative). It involves identifying specific words, themes, or concepts within text, and then counting their frequency to reveal patterns and trends. 

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