Participant observation

• Overt participant observations

  • The group is aware they're being observed and the researcher is involving themselves in their activities
  • A - You experience their life first hand
  • D - They may not act normal as they know they're being watched
• Covert participant observations

  • The group is unaware they're being observed and the researcher is involving themselves in their activities
  • A - gives more genuine results and you got to experience their life
  • D - may not be ethically correct
• Semi-overt participant observations

  • Researcher asks one person in the group if they can observe them
  • A - good for gangs as you need an 'in'
  • D - puts pressure on the one person to generate usefull or 'correct' results
• Covert non-participant observations

  • The group is unaware they're being observed and the researcher isn't involving themselves in their activities
  • A - no interferences with behaviour and will act normally
  • D - not ethically right
• Overt non-participant observations

  • The group is aware they're being observed and the researcher isn't involving themselves in their activates
  • A - most ethically correct
  • D - will provide the least accurate results as they know they're being watched but you're not able to watch them