Observational Technique

Define naturalistic observation

• Watching and recording behaviour in its normal

• Everyday setting

• Where researcher does not interfere or change anything

Define controlled observation

• Watching and recording behaviour

• In a structured

• Artificial

• Environment (lab)

• Where the researcher controls variables

Define covert obesrvation

• Participant

• Being watched

• without them knowing

Define overt obervation

• Knows they are being watched

• Given consent

Define participant observation

• Researcher joins in

• Becomes part of the group they’re studying

Define non-participant observation

• Remains separate

• From the group

• Watches from a distance

Define mundane realism

• Degree to which materials

• Procedures and setting of research

• Resembles ordinary, everyday life

Define ecological validity

• What extent

• A study can be generalised to real-world setting

• Behaviours and everyday environment

• Outside Lab

Identify a limitation of controlled observations

• Lack mundane realism

• Controlled nature

• Cannot be generalised to everyday life

• Lacks ecological validity

• Due to use of artificial tasks → behaviour unnatural

Explain what it is meant by event sampling

• How researchers decide on a specific event

• Relevant to the investigation

• Each relevant event (listed in behaviour checklist)

• Recorded every time it occurs and is observed

Discuss how observational research may be improved in a controlled environment

• Allows researcher to control extraneous variables

• Ex, weather condition → cold/windy → events cannot occur → affects friendship behaviour

• Eliminates all possible disruptions

• Allows cause and effect to be established

RESEARCH = interaction of behaviours between mother-infant pairs in controlled environment. Outline one way in which interaction between behaviours

• Researchers could use event sampling

• Checklist of the interactions to be recorded

• Such as mother smiling

• Or infant interactions

• Checklist occurs during the observations

Define standardised script

• Fixed

• Pre-written set of instructions

• Researcher reads aloud for every participant in a study

• Eliminates experimenter bias

• Controls Extraneous variables

• Enables generalisation

Explain why researcher uses controlled observation and standardised script in the study

• Enables researcher to reduce extraneous variables

• Same environment Same conditions

• Maintains validity

• Standardised script = reduced bias, controls extraneous variables

• Eliminates investigator effect

Give and explain behavioural categories that observers could have used in observation to assess the children’s behaviour experiment.

• Behaviour category 1 = Shares toy

• Observable, indicates positive social behaviour

• Category 2 = Snatches toy

• Negative social behaviour

Describe how observers could use time sampling to record social behaviour of each child during 5 minute period

Define structured observation

• Pre-planned system

• Checklist, record specific, pre determined behaviours

Define unstructured observation

• Writes down everything they see

• As it happens

• Rich detailed notes

Define behaviour categories

• Diving target behaviour

• Into smaller, clear, measurable actions

• Instead of angry → shouting/swearing

Define event sampling

• Counting every single time target behaviour happens

• Ex, tallying every time child shares toy

Define time sampling

• Recroding behaviour

• Only at fixed set times

• What a child is doing start every minute

UP TO MID Q3