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15 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Non-participant observation |
The researcher simply observes the group or event without taking part in it |
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Participant observation |
The researcher actually takes part in an event or the everyday life of the group while observing it |
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Overt observation |
The researcher makes their true identity and purpose known to those being studied. The sociologist is open about what they are doing |
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Covert observation |
The study is carried out ‘under cover’. The researcher’s real identity and purpose are kept concealed from the group being studied |
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Making contact |
Polsky (1971), who was a good pool player himself, found his skill useful in gaining entry to the world of the poolroom hustler |
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Acceptance |
To gain to a group, the researcher will have to win their trust and acceptance. It may help to make friends with a key individual |
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Getting out |
It may be difficult and the participants being studied might clock on |
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Overt observation |
it avoids the ethical problem of obtaining information by deceit and, when studying deviant groups, that of being expected to join in their activities |
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Covert observation |
if participants knew that they were being studied, they would change their behaviour. Also known as the Hawthorne Effect. |
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Advantages of participant observations |
validity - by observing people, we are able to obtain rich qualitative data that provides a picture of how they really live |
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Advantages of participant observations |
insight - allows researchers to gain empathy (or verstehen) through personal experience |
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Disadvantages of participant observations |
practical issues - it is very time-consuming. For example, Whyte's study took him four years to complete |
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Disadvantages of participant observations |
ethical problems - participants are deceived so that the researchers can obtain information about them |
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Practical issues - Structured Observation - Methods in Context |
Flanders (1970) found that in the typical American classroom, 68% of the time is taken up by the teacher talk, 20% by pupil talk & 12% lost in silence or confusion |
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Practical issues - Unstructured Observation - Methods in Context |
Wright (1992) was carrying out her research, there were few black teachers and she found that her African Caribbean ethnicity produced antagonistic reactions from some white teachers. |
