Observation

Observation

1. - Interpretivism - Qualitative - Primary data

   • Non-participant; e.g. OFSTED; observing without taking part + easy to record, objective; they can't become emotionally involved, -can't gain veresten and understand why behaivour is the it is
   • Pps observation; Researcher takes part whilst observing + indepth understanding as to why people act how they do - difficult to record, recall is needed, emotionally involved
   • Covert obs; 'undercover' real identity and purpose isn't told, use of a false identity + No hawthorne effect as pps don't know they're being watched, more valid - goes against BSA (unethical)
   • Overt obs; e.g. OFSTED; true identity and purpose revealed +meets BSA guidelines (ethical) - hawthorne effect behaivour changes (invalid)

2. Practical

   • Access; researching groups who could/couldn't answer a questionnaire, some groups can be difficult to gain access as of their illegal behaivour e.g. James Patrick - glasgow gang
   • Time, Cost, Funding; funding is needed over a long period of time, it takes a long time to either find or publish results e.g. James Patrick because of fear
   • Contact, acceptance, fitting in; particularly covert a middle aged, white female wouldn't go undercover as a young, black male. Some groups can be difficult to access such as the rich and powerful (strict gatekeeper)

3. Ethical

   • BSA are critical of observation that doesn't allow informed consent which means they have no right to withdraw + issues behind whether the observer should condone or participate in criminal activity or inform the police, also personal harm or danger

4. Reliability

   • Positivists see observations as too subjective as the results are the researchers personal interpretations (researcher bias?), with this it makes it difficult to replicate (unreliable) and small sample sizes makes it unrepresentative to generalise

5. Valdity

   • Natural first-hand evidence to see if what people say is what they do
   • Rich qualitative data to provide a picture
   • hawthorne effect - presence of an observer may change behaivour however covert will overcome this problem, some say that the validity outweighs ethical issues e.g. Laud humpreys defends 'tea room trade' study on the grounds that no one was harmed
   • Recording of data; covert observers will have to remember all events to write up later e.g. Dick hobbs found that a night of binge drinking meant he was unable to recall and whether to "write it up or throw it up"

6. Presentation of self; Interpretivists are interested in how people present different images in different circumstances

7. going native; when a researcher loses perspective and begin to sympathise with and become part of the group (loss of objectivity)