Week 4, Unit 1 Observational Techniques

7/27/2019 Week 4, Unit 1 Observational Techniques

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Observational Techniques

Chapter 11


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Introduction

Observational techniques

Methods of collecting data by observing

people, most typically in their natural settings

The researcher conducting the observationsmay use eitherparticipant observation or

nonparticipant observation.


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Introduction

Participant Observation

Observation performed by observers who take

part in the activities they observe


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Introduction

Nonparticipant Observation

Observation made by an observer who remain

as aloof as possible from those observed


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Focal Research

Unmasking Racism: Halloween Costuming

and Engagement of the Racial OtherBy

Jennifer C. Mueller, Danielle Dirks, and Leslie

Houts Picca Participant observation

They observed what they themselves and

other students did when they dressed as

people of different races for Halloween


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Focal Research

Ethics

IRB

Informed consent forms

Confidentiality


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Observational Techniques Defined

Observational techniques are sometimes

called qualitative methods and field research

Both qualitative methods and field research

require more steps than simple observation


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Observational Techniques Defined

Controlled (or systematic) observations

Observation that involve clear decisions about

what is to be observed

Observing whether or not a person will do aparticular action

Example

Whether people would or wouldnt contribute coins to

a Salvation Army kettle after they had seen, or not

seen, another person do so


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Reasons for Doing Observations

When are observational techniques

desirable?

Useful when you dont know much about the

subject under investigation Common in anthropology & ethnography a

study of culture

When one wants to understand experience

from the point of view of those who are living itor from the context in which it is lived.


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Observational techniques may help the

researcher move from thin to thick

description.

Thin Description Bare-bone description of acts


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Thick Description

Reports about behavior that provide a sense

of things like the intentions, motives, and

meanings behind the behavior


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Observational techniques are useful when

you want to study quickly changing social

situations.

Example Hurricane Katrina

Observational techniques offer a relatively

unfiltered view of human behavior.


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Observer Roles

Observational techniques are relatively

unobtrusive but the level varies based on

the role played by the observers


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Observer Roles

Complete participant role

Being, or pretending to be, a genuine participant

in a situation one observes


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Observer Roles

Observer-as-participant

Being primarily a self-professed observer, while

occasionally participating in the situation


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Observer Roles

Concern

The participant-as-observer and observer-as-

participant roles are more obtrusive compared

to the pure participant or pure observer


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Observer Roles

Ethics

There are ethical issues to consider in the

observer playing multiple roles, including

issues of power, issues of guilty knowledge,and issues of responsibility


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Getting Ready for Observations

Observational techniques typically do not require asmuch preparation as other methods we have discussed.

Design elements are typically worked out as you go.

Except during controlled, or systematic, observations,

which are defined by their use of explicit plans forselecting, recording, and coding data.

Observers typically begin their studies with less clearlydefined research questions and considerably moreflexible research plans.


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Selecting a location is typically the first step in

observations


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Next the observer seeks out interviews to get a

range of different types of people, the

researcher wants to reach theoretical

saturation Theoretical saturation

The point where new interviewees or settings look

a lot like interviewees or settings one has

observed before


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Observations are most often done in a

nonrandom format

Purposive sampling is most common

A nonprobability sampling procedure thatinvolves selecting elements based on the

researcher's judgment about which elements

will facilitate his or her investigation


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The researcher needs to decide how much

information one will tell about yourself and

your research.

Disclosure of your interests (personal andresearch) can help develop truth in others,

but it can also be a distraction from, even a

hindrance to the unfolding of, events in the

field.


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Two general recommendations about preparingyourself for the field

Potential observers should review as much literaturein advance of their observations as possible

literature can sensitize the researchers to the kindsof things they might want to look for in the field andsuggest new settings for the study

Spend time reviewing earlier examples of participantor nonparticipant observation, to see what others

have done.


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Gaining Access and Ethical Concerns

Gaining access to a site is a social task

A researcher must use all the social skills or resourcesand ethical sensibilities she has available

If the observer plans not to reveal the intention to observe,the major issues in gaining access are ethical

The decision to engage in covert research and thereafterto establish access, is ethically acceptable, if otherconcerns, such as ensuring lack of harm to those

observed and pursuing worthwhile topics in settings thatcannot be studied openly, neutralize or overwhelmconcern about deception.


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Account

A plausible and appealing explanation of the

research that the researcher gives to prospectiveparticipants


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Gatekeeper

Someone who can get a researcher into a setting


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Gathering the Data

Conventional techniques for recording

observations

writing them down recording them mechanically

recording them in ones memory to be written

down later

Memory is the most common but leasttrustworthy


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Gathering the Data

Visual ethnography

The video recording of participants and the

reviewing of the resulting footage for insightsinto social life


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Gathering the Data

Participants and nonparticpant observers

commonly supplement their observations with

interviews and available data Interview other participants who are known as

informants

Informants typically provide the in-depth

understanding of a situation


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Analyzing the Data

Studies based on observational techniques areconcerned with theory generation or discoveryopposed to theory verification

Theory building begins soon after your first

observation Once the researcher articulates notions they become

concepts or hypothesis, the building block of theory.


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Analyzing the Data

The researcher begins to look for similarities and

differences in behavior

Similarities can lead to the generalizations on

which grounded theory is based. Grounded Theory

Theory derived from data in the course of a particular

study.


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Advantages and Disadvantages of


Advantages

Getting a handle on the relatively unknown

Obtaining an understanding of how others

experience life Studying behavior

Inexpensive

Flexibility


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Advantages and Disadvantages of


Disadvantages Generalizability

Demand Characteristics

A bias caused by the distortion that can occur whenpeople know (or think) they are being observed

Extremely time-consuming

Demanding and frustrating


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Summary

Purposes of observational techniques

To gain relatively unfiltered views of behavior

To get a handle on relatively unknown social

To obtain a relatively deep understanding ofothers experience

To study quickly changing situations

To study behavior, and to save money


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QuizQuestion 1

Most participant observers practice which

type of sampling?

a. Simple random

b. Stratified sampling

c. Quota sampling

d. Purposive sampling

e. None of the above


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QuizQuestion 2

Most qualitative researchers are interested

in

a. theory verification.

b. causality.

c. spuriousness.

d. theory generation or discovery.

e. None of the above


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QuizQuestion 3

When the observed take on different attributes

simply as a result of being observed, this is

called

a. observational methods.b. demand characteristics.

c. performance anxiety.

d. presentation of self.

e. Both a and c.

Week 4, Unit 1 Observational Techniques

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