Observational method
- 1. Research Methods and Techniques The Observational Method L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research method and the associated key terms (AO3) Starter: Complete the worksheet on hypotheses. Identify the IV and DV in the different hypotheses.
- 2. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research method and the associated key terms (AO3) The Observational Method ME Doesn’t all research begin with some form of observation? Yes. YOU But it is also a research method in its own right.
- 3. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research method and the associated key terms (AO3) The Observational Method - Involves systematically watching and recording what people say and do. - Naturally occurring behaviours are observed = no attempt to manipulate variables. We can get natural behaviour, unchanged by researcher presence or the research environment.
- 4. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research method and the associated key terms (AO3) Observation as a method Observation as a Participant observation: the technique researcher is directly involved. - Not the same as the e.g. in a sports team observation method. observing group behaviour. - This refers to how observation can be used to gather data Non-participant observation: in many research the researcher is not directly methods. involved. e.g. observing reactions e.g. observing how children to a violent play. video.
- 5. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research method and the associated key terms (AO3) The Observational Method ME This seems easy enough! YOU Ok. You try it!
- 6. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research method and the associated key terms (AO3) Take a slip and 3 minutes,to yourself. For keep it try to create a rhyme/method for remembering the three research designs within Look at the details of the small-scale research laboratory experiment: (pilot study) using the observational method. • Repeated Measures • Independent Groups • Matched Pairs For the next 3 minutes you are the researcher. So get observing and recording!
- 7. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research method and the associated key terms (AO3) You have just completed a non-participant observation (you were not involved). How did you find it? What was easy/problematic in observing and recording? OPERATIONALISING?
- 8. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research method and the associated key terms (AO3) Behavioural categories: in order to observe a behaviour we need to operationalise it which often results in behavioural categories. Could you categorise the behaviour you were observing? 2 ways of sampling observed behaviours Time sampling: making observations and recordings for short intervals in a period of time e.g. every 3 mins of 15 mins. Event sampling: To record only as events occur.
- 9. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research method and the associated key terms (AO3) Difficulties in observational research? Observer bias: observer interprets what they see according to their individual feelings, beliefs. Controls? 1. behaviour is fully operationalised so the categories require least interpretation. 2. check observer reliability – called inter-rater reliability – for consistency. How many times did I lift my left hand? How many times did the nearest boy fiddle with his pen? Did we have inter-rater reliability?
- 10. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research method and the associated key terms (AO3) Strengths Weaknesses • High ecological • Observer bias risk. validity. • Replication is • Behaviour can be difficult. observed that cannot • Tend to be small-scale be in the laboratory. so not easily • Few demand generalisable. characteristics.