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15 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What are the 4 types of observations? |
1) Non-participant observation 2) Participant observation 3) Overt observation 4) Covert observation |
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What is non-participant observation? |
• Researcher observes without taking part in it • May use a two-way mirror to do so |
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what is participant observation? |
• Researcher takes part in the event while observing it |
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What is overt observation? |
• Researcher is open about what they’re doing • Makes their true purpose/identity known to the research participants |
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what is covert observation? |
• researcher’s true identity/purpose is concealed from research participants • study is carried out under cover • researcher takes on false identity (e.g. member of the group) |
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what are the 2 main issues sociologists face when conducting a participant observation study? |
• using overt or covert observation • getting in, staying in & getting out of group being studied |
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state 4 advantages of overt observations |
• avoids ethical issue of deceit • observer can ask naive but important questions • can take notes openly • can use interview methods to check insights |
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state 3 disadvantages of overt observations |
• the group might not give permission • the group might prevent them from seeing everything Risk of Hawthorne Effect |
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what are some 3 practical advantages of covert observation? |
- reduces risk of hawthorne effect - could be only way to obtain valid information (especially when they’d rather keep it secret) - preserves naturalness of people's behaviour |
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what are some practical disadvantages of covert observations?
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- requires researcher to keep up an act - cover can be blown with 1 minor mistake - if cover is blown, can lead to physical harm (when studying criminals/gangs) - cannot take notes openly (must rely on memory) - researcher can't ask naive, important questions - cannot combine observations with other methods - additions of new member to group (researcher) can cause groups to change behaviour |
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what are structured observations |
- pre-categorised observational schedules - preferred by positivists - allow quantitative measurements of behaviour patterns to be identified - usually non-participant |
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what is an example of an observational schedule |
flanders system of interaction analysis categories (FIAC): - measures pupil-pupil / pupil-teacher interactions quantitatively - uses a standard chart to record interactions - each observation placed into 10 pre-defined behaviour categories |
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state 5 advantages of a structured observation |
- easily quantified - quick & cheap - requires less training - reliable - findings can be easily compared with other studies |
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why does Delamont & other interpretivists criticise structured? |
- putting classroom behaviour into a limited number of pre-defined categories isn't valid - ignores meaning pupils/teachers attach to their behaviour |
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what are unstructured observation |
- favoured by interpretivists - qualitative - gain access to meaning pupils/teachers give by immersing themselves in their - doesn't make assumptions in advance but what key researcher issues will be |
