Observations
Overt
Covert
Participant
Non-Participant
Strengths
Limitations
Strengths
Limitations
Strengths
Limitations
Strengths
Limitations
Forbidden fruit - Researchers can enter forbidden areas, be fully accepted and trusted, and immerse them-selfs totally in the group being studied.
Normal behaviour - The group will continue to act naturally, unaware that they are being studied.
Danger of discovery - If researchers true role is uncovered, it may place the researcher in danger.
Ethical dilemmas - There is the issue that it is wrong to study a group without telling them. If the group engages in illegal or immoral activities, the researchers may have to engage in these activities as well.
Practical issues - May not take much preparation
The confidant - As someone who has no role within the group, the researcher may be in the position of the trusted outsider and receive confidences from group members.
Honesty - The researcher is also able to play an open, clear and honest role, which will help minimise ethical dilemmas
Other methods - Researchers can supplement their observation with other methods, such as interviews and questionairs.
Outsider - There will be many situations where only a trusted insider will be let into the secrets of a group. anyone else, even a sympathetic observer, will be excluded
Changing behaviour - It is particularly likely that the subjects will change their behaviour if they know they are being studied.
Bias - As the researcher is less likely to be drawn into the group, their views are less likely to be biased by becoming too involved in the group or going native.
Influencing the group - As the researcher is not making any decisions or joining in with any activities, the group may be less influenced than in participant observation
Superficiality - Merely observing leaves the researcher on the outside and may limit their understanding
Altering behaviour - People act differently id they know they are being watched and in many situations it is not possible to observe without explaning why you are there.
Practical issues - The researcher may be the wrong age, sex or ethnicity to join a group, or the group may be closed to outsiders,
Ethical issues - Researcher may have to take part in illegal or immoral behaviours to fully participant within the group.
Theoretical issues - Bias, Influence of the researcher, Reliability and validity, Representativeness
Ethical issues - Day by day engagement with those being studied, the researcher is in a better position to understand the needs of the subjects than researchers using other methods.
Theoretical issues - Experiance, General new ides, Getting the truth, Digging deep, Dynamic, Being naturalistic
What it is
A research method where they watch people in a social situation and record what is said and done.