Paper 3 Observation Studies

Participant Observation

Researcher is active participant in the participants' life

Why use participant observation?

Obtain close/intimate familiarity and empathy with participants

What does a researcher need to be successful using the method participant observation?

Strong people skills

The ability to stay objective

Be able to initiate and maintain relationships

Strengths of participant observation

Detailed, in-depth information

Difficult with other methods

Used for social sensitive issues

Holistic approach: consider many different aspects of a topic

Helps avoid researcher bias

Limitations of participant observation

-Very time consuming

-Groups tend be small

-Highly invasive (personally)

-May lose objectivity

What decreases the limitations of participant observation?

reflexivity

Where do non-participant observations occur?

lab or natural setting

Why are non-participant observations often combined with other qualitative methods?

increase reliability

characteristics of non-participant observation

-Researcher observes and records behavior

-Does not interfere with a person's normal life

-Does not take part in a person's life or interactions

If researchers limit the information given at the beginning of the research, they are trying to limit _______________

demand characteristics

strengths of non-participant observation

-Easier to collect data: Not distracted by interaction with participants

-Can observe natural behavior

-Cross-checked with other observers

When you cross check your data with other observers, what are you establishing?

credibility

limitations of non-participant observation

-Reactivity

-Deception may be necessary

- is the environment artificial?

-Difficult to distinguish between natural and artificial behavior

-Data collection must be structured

-Time consuming analysis

What is the most common form of observation?

naturalistic observation

Which type of observation has the highest ecological validity?

naturalistic observations

What is the aim of naturalistic observation?

collect information in a natural setting (the context) to provide information about a specific group

Strengths of Naturalistic Observation

-Natural behavior in a natural setting: Increases ecological validity

-Can combined with other methods

-Cross-checked with other observers

What are the limitations of naturalistic observation?

Ethical concerns (especially if covert)

Time consuming

overt observation

participants know they are being observed

Covert observation

participants do not know they are being observed

How do you know if you need to do covert or overt research observations?

it depends on the topic

Strengths of overt observations

Informed consent

Triangulation

limitations of overt observations

Researcher may lose objectivity

Reactivity

Strengths of covert observations

Possible to study groups that could not be studied otherwise

Necessary to avoid reactivity

Limitations of covert observations

No informed consent

It may be dangerous if they find out they are being watched

What are the main ethical considerations when conducting observation research?

informed consent AND debriefing

What are the three types of data collected during observations?

-Descriptive

-inferential

-evaluative

What is considered raw data when conducting observational research?

field notes

in Observations, what increases the credibility of field notes?

comparing notes to other sources (interviews, pictures, narratives)

What is inductive content analysis?

establishing themes/categories in research

What are the three steps for inductive content analysis?

1. Description

2. coding

3. Product and Account of findings

ethnography

-originated in anthropology

-requires active participation in the group

What are the two basic methods of observation?

-participant observation

-nonparticipant observation

Emic

subjective participant perspective

Etic

objective observer perspective