controlled observations

• one limitation of controlled observations is they lack ecological validity
• controlled observations reduce extraneous variables
• behavioural categories are appropriate because they are objective
• time sampling

  • record the behvioural categories within a set time frame
• one strength and one limitation of using time sampling

  • one strength is as you focus on just one during a set time its more manageable
  • one limitation is some behaviours will be missed outside intervals
• Inter-observer reliability

  1. Observers should familiarise themselves with the behavioural categories to be used.
  2. They then observe the same behaviour at the same time, perhaps as part of a small-scale pilot study.
  3. Observers should compare the data they have recorded and discuss any differences in interpretations.
  4. Finally observers should analyse the data from the study. Inter-observer reliability is calculated by correlating each pair of observations made and an overall figure is produced.