Observational method

• Observation


  A technique used in research where data is collected by observing and recording behaviour
• Observation study


  • Data collected has been observed and recorded
  • Observer identifies the behaviour and decides how to record it
  • Researcher usually decides to watch behaviour as people produce it
  • Researchers want to be certain the behaviour is normal and see it occur naturally
• Natural observation


  1. People observed in their usual environments

  2. Researcher does not interfere with the location
• Observation in a laboratory setting


  1. Observation carried out in a place organised by the researcher to make observation easy

  2. People being observed are brought into a special room where they can be seen and recorded
• This kind of observation in a laboratory setting might lack some ecological validity because the people being observed would know that the study is taking place
• Categories of behaviour: the separate actions that are recorded as examples of the target behaviour

   In order to make sure that an accurate record of behaviour can be made, researchers use a categories of behaviour system. In an observation of playground behaviour, the target behaviour is playground behaviour'.

  However, the observers would not know what they were to look for if that was the only information they had. Behaviour categories are used t make it clear exactly how to record the actions that have been seen.
• Strengths of observational studies


  • High ecological validity - records real behaviours that are full actions and that people produce regularly
• Weaknesses of observational studies

  • Researchers see and record behaviour, but do not know why it happened
  • Observer might make a mistake when recording the behaviour, or the people being watched might become aware and change their behaviour
  • Ethical issues involved in studies where people are not aware they are being watched - invasion of privacy and lack of consent
• Inter observer reliability


  How closely the record sheets of two or more people match - if they match, the records are considered accurate; if they do not match, they are inaccurate