Participant Observation

Participant Observation

1. Types

   • non-participant is where a researcher observes the group or event without taking part in it
   • Participant is where the researcher take part in the event or the everyday life of the group while observing it
   • Overt is where the researcher makes their true identity and purpose known to those being studied. The sociologist is open about what they are doing
   • Covert is where the study is carried out 'under cover'. The researcher's real identity and purpose are kept concealed from the group being studied. The researcher takes on a false identity and role, usually posing as a genuine member of the group

2. Conducting

   • getting in, staying in and getting out
     • Getting in
       • access to groups easier then another. Making contract with group can depend on personal skills or having the right connections. Gaining acceptance in group means winning their trust. Observer's role must not disrupt the group's normal patterns and offer a good vantage point from which to make observations
     • Staying in
       • needs to stay in long enough in order to complete study. By being involved in the group the researcher must remain detached from the group so as to remain objective and unbiased. Must avoid becoming over-involved. Longer stays in become 'normalised' to groups practices, researcher ceases to notice things that would have struck them as noteworthy at an earlier stage
     • Getting out
       • the researcher can call a halt and leave. Leaving a group with whom one has become close can be difficult. re-entering normal world can be hard. Researcher may find loyalty prevents them from fully disclosing everything they have learnt, for fear it may harm the members of the group e.g. exposure of criminal groups can lead to prosecution. Thus reducing validity of study
   • covert and overt
     • Overt
       • +
         • avoids ethical problems of obtaining information by deceit, allows observer to ask the kind of naive but important questions that only an outsider could ask, can take notes openly and allows researcher to use interviews to check insight derived from observations
       • -
         • group may refuse researcher permission to observe them, may prevent them from seeing everything. risks creating a Hawthorne Effect, undermining validity
     • Covert
       • Practical issues
         • +
           • reduces risk of altering people's behaviour producing valid data. Preserves naturalness of people's behaviour.
         • -
           • requires researcher to keep up an act, may call for detailed knowledge of group's way of life, even before joining in. always risk of cover being 'blown'. cannot take notes openly has to rely on memory and opportunity to write them in secret cannot combine methods not ask naive questions that could potentially assist the study. Addition of new member can still change behaviour of group reducing validity
       • Ethical issues
         • -
           • immoral to deceive people, obtaining information by pretending to be their friend. researcher should gain consent of their subjects, and reveal true purpose of study and the use to which its findings will be put. Observers may have to lie about their reasons for leaving the group. May have to participate in immoral or illegal activities as part of their 'cover' role. As witnesses may have a moral or legal duty to intervene or to report them to police

3. Advantages

4. Disadvantages

5. studies