The document provides instructions for completing a Human Observation Project. It should be a minimum of 5 pages and follow APA style formatting guidelines. It involves observing and documenting a human behavior in two sections - a naturalistic observation to gather baseline data, and an experiment where a variable is introduced to attempt to change the behavior. Examples of behaviors that could be observed are provided. Proper documentation of the problem statement, theory, hypothesis, procedures, results, and discussion are required.

1. The Human Observation Project should consist of a
minimum of five typed pages
. Information should be provided for each section of the
Observation Project Form
. The project is divided into two section:
the gathering of baseline information
behavior change
Be sure that the project submission adheres to the following
formatting requirements:
Use double-spacing.
Use size 12 font.
Set margins to one-inch on all sides.
Be sure to include your name/course title on the first page.
Write in complete sentences, use good English grammar, and
correct spelling.
Avoid personal pronouns and statements such as "I believe, I
placed the coin on the floor...", "My research proved that...." -
in objective, naturalistic research your opinion is not very
important, but your findings are. Your research may
suggest that
...,
support the hypothesis
...,
or indicate
....; but it does not necessarily
prove
anything.
Charts and graphs are part of an "A" paper, but are not part of
the basic page count of the project. References to outside
sources may also part of an A or B level paper. Information
should be provided for each section as outlined below.
APA
documentation style must be used when citing references in
context and bibliography (if any).
Key Terms

2. In order to complete the Human Observation Project, you will
need to be familiar with the following terms:
Statement of the Problem
: Explain the problem behavior. Convince the reader it needs to
be observed very closely before one could decide how to change
the behavior.
Theory
: This is a prediction. What do you expect to observe. The
theory is a general statement. For example, most males or
females do not wash their hands after using the restroom. Most
people will not pick up after themselves after eating in a public
place.
Hypothesis
: The hypothesis must be written in such a way as to test the
theory. A theory is like an umbrella covering behaviors with the
presumption that they are related. A good hypothesis rains on
the umbrella to see if there are any holes. For example, between
the hours of 11:00 and 1:00 on Monday and Wednesday at
McDonald’s most patrons (or males, females, adolescents) will
not place their napkins, cups, plates, and eating utensils in the
trash and return their tray to the rack.
Procedure
: This is a description of the step-by-step process used during
the observation. Where did the observer sit? Was the observer
visible to the subject being observed? How was data collected?
The description needs to be written in sufficient detail that
someone else could attempt to replicate (repeat) the procedure
to determine if the same results could be obtained.
Results
: The results are given in the form of numbers. This is the
count. It is often presented in complex statistical terms. A
numerical count and percentages will be sufficient for our
purposes.
Discussion
: This is a summary of the results in simpler, more practice
language. The numbers are converted to statements of meaning

3. and application.
Section 1: Naturalistic Observation
The first half of your research will be a naturalistic observation.
You will be determining the baseline of behavior, or what the
behavior looks like, or the amount of the behavior present under
normal circumstances. The observer is unobtrusive, rather like
the wallpaper. There is no interference with the behavior.
You are to select a human behavior. Discuss the problem
surrounding this behavior. The following is a list of topics
which have been used in the past. You may select from the list
or develop one of your own. Select a behavior which you
encounter each day. The greatest challenge is isolating or
narrowing the behavior to a single event which you can define,
count, and attempt to change or observe as changed in a
different environment.
Eye contact
Hand washing
Door opening for others
Money on the ground
Cleaning off the table after you eat in a fast food restaurant
Response time of clerks when the researcher dresses poorly or
nicely
Tips - restaurant, beauty salon, etc.
Helpful behavior when toilet paper is attached to the researchers
shoe in a public place
Hand waving when driving down a country road
Changing television stations in a public waiting room
Products purchased from shelves of different height
Color of products purchased
Seating behaviors in school cafeteria or restaurant
Stop light running
Use of cell phones in school areas
Use of cell phones while driving
Purchasing one item or the "full meal deal" at a fast food
restaurant
Human responses to walking dogs of different sizes or breeds

4. Human response to "Don't walk on the grass!" signs
Driver behavior while waiting on a stop light (make-up, hair
combing using rear view mirror)
Assistance reaching items from the top shelf
Dropping a dollar while walking through Walmart...will
someone return the dollar? (Can be an expensive project.)
Returning shopping carts to the proper areas
Smiling or waving "thank you" when a car stops to allow
shoppers to cross in the parking lot
Behavior in the check-out line: smiling, conversation...
The behavior of children in the check-out line (pulling things
from shelves, yelling, smiling, climbing out of cart....)
Behavior of children in a classroom (talking, out of seat,
interrupting, turning in homework....)
DO NOT
:
Place a baby carrier on top of a car and drive around the mall
parking lot to see if someone will attempt to stop you
Stop your car by the side of the road to see if someone might
stop and assist
Attempt a tail gating experiment of any kind
Select any behavior which might be harmful, socially offensive,
or immoral
Complete the
Observation Project Form
. Write a theory and hypothesis, explain the procedure you will
use to determine if the theory and hypothesis are supported,
give the result or the count, and finally, discuss your results or
findings.
Section 2: Experiment
The second half of the project will be a type of experiment. By
introducing a
variable
, you will attempt to increase or decrease a behavior. For
example, one student in Iraq counted the number of men who
failed to wash their hands after using the latrine next to the

5. dining facility. This student's count suggested a problem.
During the behavior change section of the project, the student
placed honey (the independent variable) on the handles of the
doors. As a result, hand washing (the dependent variable)
increased.
Your project will require you to walk through the same steps
again, but from the point of view of changing or improving the
behavior. Begin with your own results. That is the statement of
the problem. You have counted and found that, yes, this is an
area of human behavior which should be improved. Complete
the
Observation Project Form
. Again,
APA documentation style
must be used when citing references in context and references
(if any). Your textbook may be your only reference.