Participant Observation

Participant Observation

1. What is participant observation?

   • Covert
     • The social researcher participating fully without informing members of the social group of the reasons for their presence
   • Overt
     • The researcher being open about the reason for her presence and the researcher is given permission by the group to conduct it

2. Theoretical considerations

   • 1)the group is being observed in its 'natural setting'. therefore the results will not be affected by the 'hawthorne effect'
   • 2)If researcher 'goes native', causes the results to be more subjective,therefore less vadility.(covert)

3. Practical Considerations

   • 1)personal characteristics(age,gender,ethnicity, restrict researchers from participant observation.
   • 2i) it is very time consuming. Whytes study took years to complete

4. Ethical Considerations

   • 1)Overt-the avoidance of problems of ethics in that the group are aware of the researcher's role.
   • 2) covert-the researcher may gain access to social groups who would otherwise not consent to being studied.

5. Advantages and Disadvantages

   • - the problem of 'going native'(covert)
   • -Observer effect, where the behaviour of those under study may alter due to the presence of the researcher.(overt)
   • -the researcher having to employ a level of deceit
   • +the group is being observed in its 'natural setting'.
   • +the avoidance of problems of ethics in that the group are aware of the researcher's role.(overt)
   • +the researcher may gain access to social groups who would otherwise not consent to being studied. (covert)