Observational Techniques

Observational Techniques

1. Non-paticipant observation- a type of observational study whereby the researcher does not join in with the activity being observed

2. Participant observation- a type of observational study where the observer is also a participant in the activity being studied. This type of observation can be useful because it provides more insights about behaviour but does have a problem that the observer may lose some objectivity

3. Structured observation- where the researchers design a type of coding scheme to record the participants' behaviour

4. Observational Studies– psychologists use behavioural categories to record particular instances of behaviours, or various sampling methods

5. Correlational Analysis– a correlational analysis does not demonstrate a cause, but is useful in identifying relationships between co-variables

6. Self-Report Methods– psychologists use questionnaires and interviews to find out what people think and feel

7. Unstructured observation involves the researchers recording the behaviour they can see

8. Case Studies– case studies are detailed studies of a single individual, institution or event

9. Meta-Analysis– this is an analysis of a range of studies within the same topic/field, and can be used to draw overall conclusions and theories

10. Surveys – A self-report method for collecting data, such as interviews or questionnaires

    • Participants feel more comfortable revealing details than in a face to face interview
    • Low response rate
    • Large amount of quantitative data – easier to analyse
    • Social desirability bias
    • Low cost – only need to pay for the production of the survey

11. Interviews – A research method or technique that involves a face-to-face, ‘real-time’ interaction with another individual and results in the collection of data

    • Can gather more detailed, qualitative data
    • Easier to explore sensitive topics
    • Social desirability bias
    • More time and effort
    • May be embarrassed to speak face-to-face

12. Case Study – is a detailed study of a single individual, institution or event. It uses information from a range of sources, such as from the person concerned, friends and family

    • Ethical issues in longitudinal study– may feel uncomfortable being studied in such detail
    • Difficult to generalise from individual cases as each one has unique characteristics
    • Can study the complex interactions of many factors
    • Large amounts of rich data

13. Pilot study- A small-scale trail of a study to test all aspects of the design.