Observational Techniques

Observational technique

A research method in which participants are observed to see how they behave

Observational Techniques: Strengths (2)

High internal validity - record what people actually do rather than what they say they do.

Can detect spontaneous or unexpected behaviours.

Observational Techniques: Limitations (2)

Observer bias - difficult to be objective when making observations

Only observable behaviour is recorded and not information about what people think or feel

How to reduce the effect of observer bias (2)

More than one observer record behaviour

This is called interobserver reliability

Naturalistic Observation

Behaviour is studied in a natural setting

Naturalistic Observation: Benefits (2)

Gives a realistic picture of behaviour (mundane realism is high)

Likely to be high ecological validity and so high external validity

Naturalistic Observation: Drawbacks

Hard to control extraneous variables and so internal validity may be low

Controlled observation

Behaviour is studied in a controlled setting

Controlled Observation: Benefits (2)

Can focus on a particular aspect of behaviour

Extraneous variables can be more easily controlled so internal validity is typically high

Controlled Observation: Drawbacks (2)

Due to unnatural setting, unnatural behaviours may occur

Low ecological validity

Overt

Participant is aware they are being studied

Covert

Participant is not aware that they are being studied

Participant (3)

The observer is part of the group being observed

Can provide special insights into behaviour from the ‘inside’ that may not otherwise be provided

Participant observation is more likely to be overt

Non-participant (4)

The observer is not part of the group being observed

Observes from a distance and does not interact with participants

More likely to be objective as they are not part of the group being observed

Non-participant observation is more likely to be covert

Unstructured

Like mini-experiment, records all relevant behaviour but has no system

Structured

uses systems to organise observations

Behavioural categories

Breaks the behaviour being studied into a set of components eg. infant behaviour could include smiling, crying, sleeping

Sampling procedures

Systematic method to sample behaviours rather than monitoring continuously

Event sampling

Count the number of times a certain behaviour occurs 

Time Sampling (2)

Recording behaviours in a given time frame only

Recording what you see for 10 seconds every minute - could do this by ticking behavioural categories