Observations

• what are behavioural categories in observational design?

  what type of behaviours are being observed.
• what is event sampling?

  observe and document specific behaviours or events as they happen in natural settings.
• what is time sampling?

  researchers record behaviors or events at specific, predetermined intervals during an observation period.
• what is a weakness of behavioural categories?

  behaviours not taken into consideration beforehand.
• what is an unstructured observation?

  researcher doesn’t plan what they are going to observe nor do they plan any behavioural changes/patterns.
• strengths of an unstructured observation?

  • can provide rich, qualitative data.
  • can be used as a pilot study, to see what kind of behaviours can be recorded in the structured system.
• weaknesses of an unstructured observation?

  highly subjective, may not record relevant/important behaviours.
• what is a structured observation?

  researcher uses various systems to organise the recording of observations. two main systems are:

  • behavioural categories.
  • sampling.
• strengths of a structured observation?

  generally provide quantitative data- easy to analyse.
• weaknesses of a structured observation?

  • can't include any behaviour that isn't within your behavioural categories, limiting scope of research.
• what are 4 things that are key in constructing behavioural categories?

  • operationalisation- breaking the behaviour being studied into a set of components.
  • being objective- no inferences made about behaviour, purely recording.
  • cover all possible components.
  • be mutually exclusive- no overlapping, shouldn't have to mark 2 categories at the same time.
• why are behaviour checklists/grids made?

  in order to produce a structured amount of what you have seen it's necessary to draw up a behaviour checklist/grid.
• what are sampling methods? (different to sampling technique)

  • in a structured observation, researcher will use a behaviour category grid. must then decide how to sample the behaviour they see, it's impossible to record everything.
• what is inter-rater reliability?

  two independent observers code behaviour in the same way.
• what is event sampling?

  researcher recording an event every time it happens.
• what is time sampling?

  when researcher decides on a time and records what behaviour is happening at that time.
• what is a weakness of event sampling?

  if too many observations happen at once, may be difficult to record everything (complex = details missed).
• what is a weakness of time sampling?

  some behaviours will be missed. observation not representative (constraint).
• what is inter-observer reliability?

  two or more observers take part in the observation.
• what are the steps of inter-observer reliability?

  • before: 2 or more agree in categories (to purpose/hypotheses of study), reduces the behaviours in a biased way.
  • during: blinding = likeliness of them interpreting behaviours in a biased way.
  • after: share results.
• what is a naturalistic observation?

  this is observing behaviour in a natural setting where everything has been left in place.
• what is a controlled observation?

  this is where some variables are controlled by the researcher.
• what is a covert observation?

  the p' isn't aware they are being observed.
• what is an overt observation?

  the p' is aware they are being observed.
• what is a participant observation?

  researcher becomes a part of the group they are trying to observe.
• what is non-participant observation?

  the researcher remains separate from those they are studying.
• what is a strength of naturalistic observation?

  • high external validity- behaviour is studied within an environment where it would normally occur. makes us more able to generalise.
• what is a weakness of naturalistic observation?

  very hard to replicate and extraneous variables are hard to control.
• what is a strength of controlled observation?

  replication is easier as you have controlled some of the variables.
• what is a weakness of controlled observation?

  harder to apply to real life as it is a set up situation.
• what is a strength of covert observation?

  no demand characteristics as p's don't know they are being observed.
• what is a weakness of covert observation?

  ethics!- no consent to observe.
• what is a strength of overt observation?

  no concerns w/ protection from privacy and consent as they know they're being observed.
• what is a weakness of overt observation?

  if people know they are being observed their behaviour is quite likely to change.
• what is a strength of participant observation?

  increases insight into the p's situation- increases external validity.
• what is a weakness of participant observation?

  researcher might get too involved and lose objectivity (think zimbardo).
• what is a strength of non-participant observation?

  no issues w/ getting too carried away or 'going native'.
• what is a weakness of non-participant observation?

  lack of insight into p's experience as they are removed from the situation they are observing.
• what is an overall strength of observations?

  allow us to observe/record what people actually do.
• what are overall weaknesses of observations?

  • observer bias- occurs when a researcher's expectations, opinions, or prejudices influence what they perceive or record in a study.
  • don't provide casual relationships like exps.