P.1: Week 4: Field Study, Methods, Ethics, and Data Management

Field Studies

This study requires careful design and preparation to ensure validity, feasibility, and ethical integrity.

Steps in Planning a Field Study

Define Your Research Question, Identify Your Research Site, Determining Your Data Collection Methods

Step 1: Define Research Question

The most important step; the question must be clear, purposeful, answerable, open

Example of Good Research Question

“How do barangay health workers in Laguna experience and cope with burnout during disaster relief?” specific, open

A Good Research Question Should Be

Clear, concise, and specific, Be open

Research Question

This is not just a random curiosity, it must be clear, purposeful, and answerable through systematic investigation.

Step 2: Identify Research Site

Choose a site that represents the target population, ensures feasibility, and allows ethical access. The setting influences the kind of data collected.

Research Site

This is not just a place, it is the context in which behaviors, attitudes, and interactions naturally occur.

Choosing the Right Site Matters Because

The setting shapes the kind of data you can collect, It ensures your findings accurately represent the population you are studying, It affects feasibility and ethics.

Types of Research Sites

Natural Habitats, Organizations, Events

Types of Research Sites: Natural Habitats

Best for ecological or behavioral studies where people/animals are observed in their everyday environment. Example: Studying how children play in evacuation centers after a typhoon.

Types of Research Sites: Organizations

Institutions such as workplaces, schools, or hospitals. Example: Examining burnout among call center agents in a BPO company.

Types of Research Sites: Events

Temporary but rich contexts for studying social behaviors and collective experiences. Example: Observing coping strategies during a protest or religious festival.

Target Population

Always check if the site truly represents your __ population.

Step 3: Determine Data Collection Methods

Select tools for gathering data (e.g., interviews, surveys, observations). The choice depends on research question, participants, and type of data needed.

Data Collection Methods

The tools you use to access people’s thoughts, behaviors, and contexts.

Reliable (consistent) and Valid (captures what you really want to know)

Choosing the right method ensures that your data is both __ and ___.

Reliability

It refers to the consistency of a measure, meaning it produces the same results each time it's used under similar conditions.

Validity

It refers to the accuracy of that measure, indicating it truly measures what it intends to.

The Method You Choose Depends on

1. The nature of your research question: Is it about lived experiences (qualitative) or measurable outcomes (quantitative)? 2. The participants: Are they children, adults, professionals, or vulnerable groups? 3. The type of data needed: Do you want stories, numbers, behaviors, or existing records?

Major Methods of Field Research

Interviews, Observations, Surveys / Questionnaires, Document Analysis

Method 1 Field Research: Interviews

Collects personal perspectives, experiences, and attitudes through structured, semi

Method 2 Field Research: Observations

Watching and recording behaviors, routines, and interactions in natural settings (participant or non

Method 3 Field Research: Surveys/Questionnaires

Standardized tools to collect data from large groups (in person, mail, or online); useful for attitudes, behaviors, and demographics. Example: Stress inventory among 200 college students. Strength: Efficient for large samples, easy to analyze. Challenge: Responses may lack depth; risk of low return rates.

Method 4 Field Research: Document Analysis

Examining existing materials (reports, diaries, policies, letters, or social media posts). Example: Analyzing barangay records of relief operations to study workload distribution. Strength: Cost

Creswell on Triangulation (2018)

No single method can fully capture reality; using multiple data sources (interviews, observations, surveys, and documents) strengthens credibility and trustworthiness.

Purpose of Triangulation

Cross

Example of Triangulation

If both interviews and observations show teachers coping with stress through peer support, the conclusion is more credible. Triangulation in Barangay Health Workers Study

Combining Methods

By __ methods, the study not only documents experiences but also validates them with observable behaviors and measurable data.

Proper Approval

Even the most well

Permission

This ensure that your study is legally valid, ethically sound, and respectful of participants’ rights.

Permission

Skipping this step can result not only in the rejection of your work but also in serious ethical or legal consequences.

Importance of Permissions

Ensure that research is legally valid, ethically sound, and respectful of participants’ rights; skipping this step risks ethical violations, legal issues, or invalidated findings.

Secure Institutional and Organizational Approval

Schools, hospitals, workplaces, and local government units (LGUs) typically require formal request letters before granting access. Example: A study on student anxiety must be approved by the school principal or university research office.

Obtain Ethics Clearance

Required for studies with human or animal participants; reviewed by ERC/IRB to ensure dignity, rights, and safety. Example: Study with trauma survivors must prevent re

Prepare Formal Documents

Request letters should state purpose, methods, duration, benefits, and attach ethics clearance if needed. Always write with professionalism and transparency.

Informed Consent from Participants

Participants must know the study’s purpose, risks, benefits, and have the right to withdraw anytime. Example: Teachers given consent forms explaining confidentiality and withdrawal rights.

Special Permissions for Sensitive Environments

Some sites require additional clearance due to cultural, legal, or ethical sensitivities. Psychiatric hospitals → hospital administration & ethics board. Indigenous communities → elders/councils. Government offices → head of office/department

Example: Barangay Health Workers Study

Requires formal request to Municipal Health Office & Barangay Captain, ethics clearance from university, informed consent for health workers, and coordination with mental health professionals for sensitive cases.

Ethical violations (exploiting participants). Legal issues (trespassing, data privacy violations). Invalidated findings (journals and institutions will not accept unapproved studies)

Conducting research without proper permission can result in ___.

Field Research

This research is not limited to psychology. It is a core approach across many scientific disciplines, each adapting it to their own questions and contexts.

Field Methods

Professionals use __ methods to gather firsthand, contextual, and authentic data that lab

Anthropology: Field Studies

Uses ethnography by living in communities to observe rituals, traditions, and daily life. Example: Studying Ifugao rituals to understand worldview and social structure. Application: Guides cultural preservation and indigenous rights policies.

Ecology: Field Studies

Long-term observations in natural habitats to track species behavior, migration, and adaptation. Example: Monitoring coral reefs in Palawan to study biodiversity loss. Application: Informs environmental protection laws and climate change strategies.

Sociology: Field Studies

Uses participant observation and interviews to examine social group dynamics. Example: Observing workplace culture in a BPO company. Application: Shapes workplace policies, labor rights, and organizational reforms.

Geography: Field Studies

Uses surveys, GIS mapping, and observation to study human–environment interactions. Example: Investigating coastal communities in Zambales adapting to sea level rise. Application: Supports disaster risk reduction and urban planning policies.

Psychology: Field Studies

Examines people in natural settings to link theory and real behavior. Example: Testing stress and coping theory in Philippine campuses during exams. Application: Reveals cultural coping mechanisms (family, prayer, peer support).

Education: Field Studies

Uses classroom observations, interviews, and interventions to evaluate teaching strategies. Example: Testing active learning methods in public high schools. Application: Directly influences teaching practices and educational policy.

Ethics in Psychology

It refers to the moral principles and professional standards that guide researchers in protecting participants, ensuring integrity, and upholding the credibility of science.

Field Research

Unlike lab studies, where conditions are controlled, __ research introduces extra ethical challenges because researchers deal with real people in real contexts—communities, workplaces, schools, or vulnerable groups.

Ethical Codes of Conduct

Professional associations (APA, BPS, PAP) provide ethical guidelines to balance advancing knowledge with safeguarding human dignity.

APA (American Psychological Association), BPS (British Psychological Society), PAP (Psychological Association of the Philippines)

To ensure responsible practice, professional associations provide clear ethical codes of conduct: ____.

APA Principle A: Beneficence & Non-Maleficence

Maximize benefits, avoid harm; ensure participation does not cause trauma, stress, or exploitation. Example: Avoid interviewing health workers during high-pressure hours.

APA Principle B: Fidelity & Responsibility

Build trust, be transparent, and take responsibility for actions. Example: Clarify role as student researcher, not government auditor.

APA Principle C: Integrity

Uphold honesty and truthfulness in data collection and reporting. Example: Record data faithfully, even if findings reveal flaws in services.

APA Principle D: Justice

Ensure fairness and equal access to research benefits; avoid bias in participant selection. Example: Include all health workers, not only leaders, for fairness.

APA Principle E: Respect for Rights & Dignity

Respect autonomy, privacy, confidentiality, and cultural values. Example: Informed consent must emphasize voluntary participation and confidentiality.

BPS Ethical Principles (UK Standard)

Focused more on participant welfare and social responsibility.

BPS UK Standard; Principle 1: Respect for Autonomy & Dignity of Persons

Uphold informed consent, confidentiality, and voluntariness.

BPS UK Standard; Principle 2: Scientific Value

Research should contribute to knowledge and not be trivial.

BPS UK Standard; Principle 3: Social Responsibility

Consider the wider social consequences of research.

BPS UK Standard; Principle 4: Maximizing Benefit and Minimizing Harm

Similar to APA’s first principle but with added emphasis on weighing risks vs. benefits. Example: Studying bullying in schools should benefit students/institution (scientific value, social responsibility) while protecting participant identities (respect for dignity).

PAP General Principles (Philippine Standard)

Grounded in Filipino values and culturally sensitive practices.

PAP General Principles (PH Standard); Principle I: Respect for the Dignity of Persons & Peoples

Respect extends to individuals and communities, acknowledging collective rights (especially in indigenous contexts).

PAP General Principles (PH Standard); Principle II: Competent Caring for the Well-Being of Persons and Peoples

Researchers must demonstrate competence and genuine care for participants.

PAP General Principles (PH Standard); Principle III: Integrity

Commitment to honesty, truth, and transparency in research.

PAP General Principles (PH Standard); Principle IV: Professional and Scientific Responsibilities to Society

Psychologists are accountable to participants, society, and the profession. Example: When interviewing indigenous groups, researchers must seek consent from both individuals and tribal councils (respect for peoples) and approach with humility and care (competent caring).