...several different types of observation. Firstly, we can distinguish between non-participant observation and participant observation. Non-participant observation involves the researcher simply observing the group or event without taking part in it. Participant observation involves the researcher actually taking part in the event or everyday life of the group while observing it. Secondly, we can distinguish between overt observation and covert observation. Overt observations refer to the researcher being open about their intentions in the field and ensuring all members of the social group are aware of what is happening. Covert observations involve the researcher not informing members of the group the reason for their presence; keeping their true intentions secret. In this essay I am going to focus mainly on overt observation. Firstly, I am going to focus on the practical advantages of overt observation. Overt participant observation may give access to groups who could not be studied covertly because the researcher does not have the same characteristics as the group. Overt participant observation makes it possible to gain access to groups where the researcher does not have the usual qualifications for entry such as being the right age, gender or ethnicity. The fact the researcher is involved with the group they are studying in an open way means it is relatively easy to generate and record data, especially in comparison with covert participant observation where the fact of being...
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...A sociologist, when using an observation will have to consider what type of observation to use. A participant observation involves the observer interacting with the group they are observing; whereas or may even observe them over CTV cameras or other devices. As well in a non-participant observation the observer does not interact with the group being observed at all, as this a sociologist could consider whether to use a covert or overt approach; both methods have their strengths and weaknesses so the sociologist must consider carefully which route to take before conducting the study. An overt observation is where the group being observed is fully aware that they are being studied; however in a covert observation the research group is unaware that they are being studied. One practical issue with using an overt observation is gaining access to particular research groups. For example, if the group the observer wishes to study is involved in illegal activities or is some sort of gang, i.e. football hooligans, then they may refuse to be studied if asked. Therefore in a situation where the research group would be likely to refuse being observed then a covert observation would be more practical as they wouldn’t be aware that they are being observed. One practical issue surrounding a covert observation is withdrawing from the study. This could be considered a dangerous or difficult manoeuvre for the sociologist; as if the research group is some gang or group involved in illegal activities...
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...Examine the reasons why some sociologists choose not to use overt observation when conducting research There are several types of observation to distinguish between. Firstly, non-participation observation where the researcher simply observes the group or event without taking part in it, for example, using a two-way mirror to observe children playing with toys. There is also participant observation where the researcher actually takes part in the event or the everyday life of the group while observing it. Secondly there is overt observation, in which the researcher makes their true identity known to those being studied and the sociologists is open about what they are doing. On the other hand, there is covert observation in which 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. Sociologists face two main issues when conducting a participant observation study; getting in, staying in and getting out of the group being studied and whether to use covert or overt observation. To do a study, the sociologists needs to first gain entry to a group and some groups are easier to enter than others, for example, joining a football crowd is likely to be easier than joining a criminal gang. Making the initial contact with the group may depend on personal skills, having the right connections or even by pure chance...
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...Participant observation is a primary method in which the sociologist studies a group by taking a role within it and participating in it's activities. It may be over, where other participants are aware if the researchers true identity and motive. Over participant observation has a number if potential weakness or limitations. These range from the relativity mundane - including the amounts if time and expense involved, through possible problems with data interpretation to more serious questions about the researchers actual levels of involvement in the group and the extent to which this May be considered a naturalistic method if research. Data interpretation problems can include deciding which observation - among many- are significant. Another thing, any social group has many things happening at the same time. It is difficult for the researcher to observe anyone. Decisions have to be made about who to observe and when to observe them significant evidence may be missed, leading to invalid interpretations if the groups behaviour. Involvement with a group may be too superficial, given that one of the purposes if participant observation is to experience the world from the viewpoint of the people being studied. Is the researcher does not become sufficiently involved with the group then this type of data might not be collected. An example might be observation of a group involved in criminal activities. Clearly to understand how and why people commit crimes it would be necessary to...
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...There are two types of observation, covert and overt. The difference between them is that covert observation is when the people being observed do not know they’re being watched or studied, and overt observation is when they have been told and given consent to be observed by the researcher. Observation can also be done in two ways. This is called participant and non-participant observation. In participant observation the observer joins a group and observes their activities, while at the same time taking care to observe what is going on. Often that means writing notes and reflections later on. In Non Participant observation, the sociologist simply observes the activities, but doesn’t take part in them. For example OFSTED; he or she is watching the lesson you are in, but they aren’t teaching, and they aren’t acting as a student. Everyone knows why they are there and often wish they weren’t observing them. A strength of participant observation is validity. It gives us an authentic understanding of the world views of social actors. This understanding is particularly important when researching issues such as classroom interaction and labeling in schools. The power difference between young people and adults is a major barrier to uncovering the real attitudes and behavior of pupils. They may present a false image when being observed by an adult researcher, thus undermining validity. Nevertheless, observation is more likely than most methods to overcome this problem, because it...
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...person with a meaning or definition to them. For example, a teacher may use labelling to label students with titles such as bright or thick, trouble maker or hardworking. Participant observation is where a researcher takes part in the event or ordinary life of a group while observing it. There are two types of types of participant observation- covert and overt observation. Covert observation is when the study is carried out undercover, and the researcher’s real identity and purpose are kept a secret. Overt observation is the complete opposite where the researcher makes their true identity and purpose known to those being studied. The provided text looks into researching gender relations in school. Gender relations can cause many issues for the researcher, especially if the researcher is of a different gender. The item suggests that teachers working in the school may disguise their sexist attitudes because they have a professional duty to treat all pupils the same but they may find it hard to put up with this act when being observed over a long period of time. A strength of participant observation is that results are usually valid. Rather than getting a participant to fill out a questionnaire when there is no real way of telling if they are giving accurate answers, participant observation can however provide great amounts of qualitative data and the researcher can put his findings into great detail. By observing ethnic minorities and teacher/student interaction towards them...
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...of different types of observational studies including naturalistic and controlled observations, non-participant and participant observations, structured and unstructured observations. Naturalistic observation is a research method commonly used by psychologists and other social scientists. This technique involves observing subjects in their natural environment. This type of research is often utilized in situations where conducting lab research is unrealistic, cost prohibitive, or would unduly affect the subject's behavior. Naturalistic observation differs from structured observation in that it involves looking at a behavior as it occurs in its natural setting with no attempts at intervention on the part of the researcher. A non-participant observation is a type of observational study whereby the researcher does not join in with the activity being observed. Controlled observation is a type of observational study where the conditions are contrived by the researcher. This type of observation may be carried out in a laboratory type situation and because variables are manipulated is said to be high in control. The Dement and Kleitman study is an example of controlled observation. The weakness of the method is that it will be low in ecological validity compared to naturalistic observation. If participants are aware they are being studied they behave differently. A participant observation is a type of observational study where the observer is also a participant in...
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...participant observation in their research. (16 marks) A participant observation refers to when the researcher joins in with group he or she is studying. This method is usually favoured by interpretivists as they can understand the meaning behind the behaviour of the group they observe. By putting themselves in the shoes of the participants they can understand why people act in certain ways. This could be particularly helpful in understanding behaviour which is very removed from our normal lives, for example gang behaviour. There are two types of observation, covert and overt. In a covert observation the participants do not know you are observing them for research. In overt observations the participants do. An advantage of participant observations is that they are valid. What people say they do in a questionnaire and what they actually do in real life are not always same thing. By contrast, by observing people we can obtain rich qualitative data that provides a picture of how they really live. Supporters of participant observation such as interpretivists argue that this is the methods main strength and most of its other advantages are linked to this. However a disadvantage of participant observation is practical issues. For example it is very time consuming because it can take years. The researcher also needs to be trained so they are able to recognise aspects of the situation which are sociologically significant and worth further attention. Participant observations can be very...
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...EDU 145 Child Development 2 Time Sampling Introduction: Observation is the key to understanding young children and their development. Teachers learn about a child’s physical, social, emotional, cognitive and language domains as they watch children in multiple learning experiences. Through your observations you will learn to identify appropriate observation techniques (competency # 4). Observation also allows you to meet the CPCC core competencies of communication, critical thinking and information technology and quantitative literacy. Outcome Assessment Standards: NAEYC Standards Standard 1: Promoting Child Development Standard 3: Observing, Documenting and Assessing to Support Young Children & Families. Support Skill 3: Written & Verbal Skills CPCC Core Competencies Communication, Critical Thinking, Information Technology & Quantitative Literacy Description of Specific Assignment Requirements Adapted from Observing Development of Young Children (Beaty, 1990)) In the time sampling method, the observer records the frequency of a behavior’s occurrence over time. The behavior must be overt and frequent (at least once every fifteen minutes) to be a candidate for sampling. For example, talking, hitting, and crying are such behaviors, because they can be clearly seen and counted. Time sampling thus involves observing specified behavior of an individual and recording the presence or absence of this behavior...
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...NOTES ON MARKET OBSERVATIONS Introduction: A visit to the neighbourhood market and observations performed there helped me learn, on a very basic level, how to approach a Market Research and analyze the data collected from markets. The market chosen for this purpose was ‘Sunday Bazaar’ at Navyug Market. Objectives: The aim of this note is to summarize the market observations performed by me on a neighbourhood market. The purpose of this observation was to familiarize with the happenings of a local market, make observations and draw inferences from the same. Observations: The observation was of qualitative as well as quantitative research type. But the methodology followed for this observation fitted more aptly on the three-approach model of observational research, therefore, I have segregated the findings as below: Covert Observational Research : 1. Around 30-40 shops with a temporary stall setup come with specialized products on a weekly basis to sell in the local market at a competitive price when compared to the general market. 2. The segmentation of the product could broadly be done under the Home Needs category (chairs, stools, buckets, ropes, stands, shoes, utensils etc.) 3. The market had several prospective customers who were buying things from different shops based on their bargaining ability. 4. The people in the market visibly belonged to different economic strata of society. Overt Observational Research : 5. The older women insisted...
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...Article 1 Article 2 Article 3 The International Court Of Justice established Международный Суд, учрежденный by the Charter of the United Nations as the Уставом Объединенных Наций в качества principal judicial organ of the United Nations главного судебного органа Объединенных shall be constituted and shall function in Наций, образуется и действует в accordance with the provisions of the present соответствии с нижеследующими Statute. постановлениями настоящего Статута. Chapter I – Organization of the Court The Court shall be composed of a body of Суд состоит из коллегии независимых independent judges, elected regardless of their судей, избранных, вне зависимости от их nationality from among persons of high moral гражданства, из числа лиц высоких character, who possess the qualifications моральных качества, удовлетворяющих required in their respective countries for требованиям, предъявляемых в их странах appointment to the highest judicial offices, or для назначения на высшие судебные are jurisconsults of recognized competence in должности, или являющихся юристами с international law. признанным авторитетом в области международного права. 1. The Court shall consist of fifteen members, 1. Суд состоит из пятнадцати членов, no two of whom may be nationals of the same причем в его составе не может быть двух state. граждан одного и того же государства. 2. A person who for the purposes of membership in the Court could be regarded as a national of more than one state shall be deemed...
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...Observations Naturalistic observations- Naturalistic relates to an unchanged, normal environment within which the subject of the study functions. Observation stands for the requirement of watching how someone behaves in order to gather data. Naturalistic observation, therefore, is a method of observing people in their normal environment it rrefers to gathering data without interfering with the current behaviour. Advantages- It is all natural behavior: When there is no effect on the behaviors of the subject, the data collected is much more honest. People show their true feelings, reactions, and behaviors when they are not being examined or observed. It aids research validation: Naturalistic observation is used to confirm results from experiments that have already been done. They help to check or disprove this data because it gives a truly precise account of results. Portrays things in the view of the real world: The tests can be directed in a real world setting. This makes the answers that are gained much more relevant to the hypothesis’s impact in true, real life settings. This is a type of view that is much more problematic, or nearly impossible, to get with other types of experiments and observations that can be done. It allows you to study unethical topics: It allows the researcher to gather valuable data, without intruding the emotional wellbeing of the subject Disadvantages- Outside influences: When doing the observation you have no control over the effects...
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...An observation study is the recording of behaviours or events and the gathering of data that proves or disproves a hypothesis. There are five different types of observational study which can be covert meaning secretive or overt meaning open to all involved. Observational studies are not usually experimental as there are no independent or dependant variables as this method is a more natural type of study in psychology. Participant observation is when the researcher takes part in their own observation with the participants. A non-participant study is where the researcher keeps his or her distance while observing the participants behaviours during the study. Unlike the others the structured observation method is a semi-experimental observational study. It is a planned observation and recording of behaviours as they happen in a controlled environment. The unstructured observation is a spontaneous observation of behaviours or events while they are happening in their natural environment. The naturalistic observation is a planned observation of natural behaviours in their environment. A participant observational study can be beneficial as the researcher is part of the environment of the study allowing an insider view of their own study. Non participant observational studies can be seen as a good way of researching the study, as the researcher avoids contact with the participants and this could be because the observer could cause the participants to act in an unnatural...
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...A participant observation is where the researcher takes part in the event that they are observing or the everyday life of the group whilst observing it. There are two different types of participant observation. One type of participant observation is an overt observation, this is when the researcher makes the participants aware that they are taking part in an the observation. A strength of participant observations are ecologically valid. Rather than gathering quantitative data from participants answering questionnaires, when there is no guarantee that they are giving accurate answers, participant observation provides high amounts of qualitative data and the researcher can go into greater detail. By observing the groups of individuals sociologists can gain more of a comprehensive understanding of their behaviours and opinions. A overt observation investigating the attitudes of the police is more likely to produce natural behaviour, rather than if they were taken into a lab, They may become accustom to the observations, and act as they usually would. Validity is a major strength of participant observation as if results are true to life, they can be generalised and used objectively. This means that the findings are going to show an accurate portrayal of how the police force work and what attitudes and beliefs they uphold. The Hawthorne effect has a major impact on the results of overt participant observation. When investigating the police openly, the police officers may change...
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...towards gender and this may make it difficult for the researcher to get at the truth. Sociologists are interested in the reasons for gender differences in subject choice. These include primary socialisation in the home peer group pressure, subject images and gender career opportunities. Question: Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the strengths and limitations of participant observation for the study of gender relations in schools. There are two types of observation, covert and overt. The difference between them is that covert observation is when the people being observed do not know they’re being watched or studied, and overt observation is when they have been told and given consent to be observed by the researcher. Observation can also be done in two ways. This is called participant and non-participant observation. In participant observation the observer joins a group and observes their activities, while at the same time taking care to observe what is going on. Often that means writing notes and reflections later on. In Non Participant observation, the sociologist simply observes the activities, but doesn’t take part in them. For example OFSTED; he or she is watching the lesson you are in, but they aren’t...
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