Participant observations

• Participant Observation


  A research method where the researcher joins the group or social situation being studied to understand what is happening from the point of view of those involved
• Participant Observation


  • Done in the natural setting, not based on an artificial situation created by an interview or questionnaire
  • May take many months or even years
• Types of Participant Observation


  • Covert
  • Overt
• Covert Participant Observation


  The researcher is undercover and the participants are unaware they are involved
• Covert Participant Observation


  • Griffin - Black Like Me
• Griffin - Black Like Me


  • Griffin, a white journalist, dyed his skin black to experience what it was like to be black in the southern US states in the 1950s
  • Criticised for lack of informed consent and ethics of altering his appearance
• Overt Participant Observation


  The researcher is open and the participants are aware they are involved
• Overt Participant Observation


  • Whyte - Street Corner Society
  • Venkatesh - Gang Leader for a Day
  • Patrick - A Glasgow Gang Observed
• Whyte - Street Corner Society


  • Whyte spent time with a gang of poor, inner-city youths in Chicago, USA
  • He was substantially older than the gang members
  • He exploited the gang's curiosity about him by saying he was writing a book, which gave him vague cover but meant the participants could not give full informed consent
• Venkatesh - Gang Leader for a Day


  • Venkatesh, a graduate student, was allowed to spend nearly 8 years overtly observing a gang called the Black Kings in Chicago
  • He was even allowed to be the gang leader for a day
• Patrick - A Glasgow Gang Observed


  • Patrick, a teacher, posed as a friend of the gang leader 'Tim' to join and observe a Glasgow street gang
  • He spent just under 120 hours with the gang over several months
  • He delayed publishing his observations for years to protect the gang members and his own safety