This essay will critically assess a methodological approach undertaken by a William F. Whyte from his book “ Street Corner Society”. According to Mac an Ghaill (1994), a participant observer collects their data by participating in daily lives of people they intend studying. ‘This approach is close to everyday interaction, involving conversations to discover participants’ interpretations of situations they are involved in’ (Becker 1958, p. 652). The point of participant observation is to construct a detailed description of social interaction in a natural environment. And at the same time the informants are expectant to use their own language and their everyday concepts to portray exactly what is going on in their surroundings and lives. With
…show more content…
This research was carried out in order to conduct a study on an Italian street slum in the North End of Boston, America. Since the publication of Whytes book the research method of participant observation has become recognised and a valid method of research. Participant observation comes with its faults where research is undertaken as this essay will explore. The reliability and accuracy is somewhat questioned by many of this kind of research that Whyte observed in an attempt to uncover the objective truth of the North End of …show more content…
Participant Observation involves working closely with a community and therefore developing not only complex relationships within that community but also gaining the trust of the community which carries with it a certain responsibility to those whom you are studying (Bryman, 2001). Whyte acknowledged that he felt grateful to his friend Doc and wondered if he should note Doc's contribution to his research (Whyte, 1955). This suggests that participant observation is not as inconspicuous as researchers would have us imagine and seems to involve certain interferences on the lives of the key informants. This can be dangerous if the informants feel misused and betrayed by the researcher as the research then has a negative effect on the community the researcher intended to help. Not only does Participant Observation represent an intrusion for informants but, for feminist critics, it is equal to an exploitative relationship where the researcher uses key informants for their value without empowering them or acknowledging their input to the study (Bryman, 2001). Many feel that informants play a crucial role in any ethnographic research it is the responsibility of an ethical researcher to tell the informant that they are being researched and the object of that research. To ignore this, would be not only deceit but also an ignorance of the
This research was carried out in order to conduct a study on an Italian street slum in the North End of Boston, America. Since the publication of Whytes book the research method of participant observation has become recognised and a valid method of research. Participant observation comes with its faults where research is undertaken as this essay will explore. The reliability and accuracy is somewhat questioned by many of this kind of research that Whyte observed in an attempt to uncover the objective truth of the North End of …show more content…
Participant Observation involves working closely with a community and therefore developing not only complex relationships within that community but also gaining the trust of the community which carries with it a certain responsibility to those whom you are studying (Bryman, 2001). Whyte acknowledged that he felt grateful to his friend Doc and wondered if he should note Doc's contribution to his research (Whyte, 1955). This suggests that participant observation is not as inconspicuous as researchers would have us imagine and seems to involve certain interferences on the lives of the key informants. This can be dangerous if the informants feel misused and betrayed by the researcher as the research then has a negative effect on the community the researcher intended to help. Not only does Participant Observation represent an intrusion for informants but, for feminist critics, it is equal to an exploitative relationship where the researcher uses key informants for their value without empowering them or acknowledging their input to the study (Bryman, 2001). Many feel that informants play a crucial role in any ethnographic research it is the responsibility of an ethical researcher to tell the informant that they are being researched and the object of that research. To ignore this, would be not only deceit but also an ignorance of the