PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION

PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION

1. TYPES OF OBSERV.

   • Non-pariticipant Observ. = the researcher observes the group or event without taking part in it.
   • Participant Observ. = the researcher actually takes part in the event or the everyday life of the group while observing it.
   • Overt Observ. = the researcher reveals their true identity and purpose known to those being studied.
   • Covert Observ. = the researchers real identity is kept concealed from the group being studied. The researcher takes on a false identity and role.

2. ADV. OF PO

   • THEORETICAL
     • VALIDITY- higher validity than questionnaires.Observing allows researcher to gain a true picture of how the group really live .
     • INSIGHT- PO allows the researcher to gain insight and verstehen (German word for empathy) into the groups way of life through personal experience.
     • FLEXIBILITY- doesn't have set questions,like questionnaires. Allows researcher to enter the situation with an open mind of what they will find out
   • PRACTICAL
     • Good method to study groups that society see as deviant.E.G.a teenage gang would expect researchers who come asking questions.
     • The ability to build a rapport and gain trust makes it a successful method for studying outsider groups E.G. thieves, drug users etc
     • Good method in situations where questioning is ineffective E.G. racism

3. DIS ADV. OF PO

   • PRACTICAL
     • Time consuming.
     • Requires observational and impersonal skills and personal characteristics depending on the study that not everyone posses.
   • ETHICAL
     • COVERT Participant observation can be accused of deceiving people in order to obtain information.
     • Some sociologists may result in participating in illegal or immoral activities during their search. E.G. whilst participating in a study of thieves.
     • IINFORMED CONSENT- research participants should be offered the right to refuse. They should aslso be fully informed about the aspects of the research
   • THEORETICAL
     • REPRESENTATIVENESS- PO are of a small sample and is often selected by a chance encounter. This does not provide a basis for making generalisations
     • RELIABILITY- it isn't possible for the observation to be repeated exactly the same,or even similarly, as the original one because it is not structured
     • 'Going Native' = becoming over-involved with the group and loosing your objectivity.
     • VALIDITY- positivists argue that the findings are merely biased impressions of the observer.

4. THE HAWTHORNE EFFECT= when the subjects of a research know they are being studied and change their behaviour as a result, undermining the validity