This document discusses naturalistic observation, a research method where behaviors are observed as they occur in natural settings without intervention. Some key points: - Naturalistic observation is commonly used in psychology and social sciences to study behaviors in natural contexts rather than laboratories. - It allows researchers to study things that can't be manipulated ethically in labs and supports external validity by observing findings in natural settings. - Disadvantages include people may behave differently knowing they're observed and observers may interpret behaviors differently. - Data collection methods include tallying behaviors, narrative notes, and audio/video recordings. Grounded theory and case studies are also discussed.

1. Naturalistic Method
Luis Carlos Romero Reyes
Robinson Montealegre
Alejandro Franco
Pedagogical Research I
Amazonia University
English Program Night

2. Naturalistic observation is a research method
commonly used by psychologists and other
1
social scientists.

3. This type of research is often utilized in situations
outside the lab.

4. 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.

5. ADVANTAGES OF NATURALISTIC
RESEARCH
3
One of the advantages of this type of
research is that it allows the researcher
to directly observe the subject in a
natural setting.

6. It allows researchers to study things that
cannot be manipulated in a lab due to ethical
concerns.
It can help support the external validity of
research,
but
quite
another
to
actually observe those findings actually
occurring in a natural setting.

7. DISADVANTAGES OF NATURALISTIC
3
METHOD
People may behave differently when they know
they are being watched.
People may try to behave in a certain way in order
to conform with what they think the researcher
expects to see.
Different observers may draw different
conclusions from the same witnessed behavior.

8. 3
DATA COLLECTION METHODS
Tally counts: The observer writes down when
and how many times certain behaviors occurred.
Observer narratives: The observer may take
notes during the session and then go back later
to try to collect data and discern behavior
patterns from these notes.
Audio or video recordings: Depending upon the
type of behavior being observed, the researchers
might also decide to make actual audio or videotaped recordings of each observation session.

9. HYPOTHESIS
2
In principle, one can conduct naturalistic
observation nearly anywhere.
Humans also make good subjects for naturalistic
observation.
Naturalistic observation is probably the best
method around for the process of formulating new
hypotheses.
Researchers are always going to bring preconceived
ideas to a naturalistic-observation episode.
So, naturalistic observation is a good first step in
research; it is good for formulating hypotheses, but
care needs to be used to control for bias.

10. COLLECTED DATA3
Researchers often use sampling to gather information
through naturalistic observation. The goal is to make
sure that this sample of data is representative of the
subject's overall behavior.
Time sampling: Involves taking samples as different
intervals of time, which may be random or systematic.
Situation sampling: Involves observing a behavior in a
variety of different situations and settings.

11. GROUNDED THEORY, CASE OF
5
STUDY
Grounded Theory method is a way of thinking
about and conceptualizing data.
The propose is to discover processes that occur as
individuals interact with other social context.
Human beings act toward things on the basis of the
meanings that the things have for us.

12. CONCLUSSION
Naturalistic researchers must identify and
gain entry to the site they want to
study, determine the role they will
take, what and how they will observe, who
they will interview and what they will ask.
and how to record the information and
present it.

13. References
1. Goodwin, C.J. (2004). Research in Psychology:
Methods and Design. Wiley.
2. http://peace.saumag.edu/faculty/kardas/courses/GPW
eiten/C1Intro/NatObserv.html
3. http://psychology.about.com/od/nindex/g/naturalistic.ht
m
4. http://http://mason.gmu.edu/~afinn/html/teaching/course
s/f03_comm250/fbk_chapters/10.pdf
5. http://mason.gmu.edu/~afinn/html/teaching/courses/f03_
comm250/fbk_chapters/10.pdf

14. ACTIVITIES
Do you think you’d act differently if you knew someone was
watching you?
Which of the following research strategies would be best for
determining whether alcohol impairs memory?
1. Experiment
2. Naturalistic Observation
3. Survey
4. Case Study
5. Correlational study