The document discusses observation as a research method, noting that it involves systematically watching and recording natural, unmanipulated behaviors, and can be participant or non-participant; it also addresses operationalizing behaviors into categories, sampling techniques like time and event sampling, potential observer bias issues, and the strengths and weaknesses of observational research.

1. Research Methods and Techniques
The Observational Method
L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research
method and the associated key terms (AO3)
Starter:
Complete the worksheet on hypotheses.
Identify the IV and DV in the different
hypotheses.

2. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research
method and the associated key terms (AO3)
The Observational Method
ME
Doesn’t all research
begin with some
form of
observation? Yes.
YOU
But it is also a
research method in
its own right.

3. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research
method and the associated key terms (AO3)
The Observational Method
- Involves systematically watching and
recording what people say and do.
- Naturally occurring behaviours are observed
= no attempt to manipulate variables.
We can get natural behaviour,
unchanged by researcher presence or the
research environment.

4. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research
method and the associated key terms (AO3)
Observation as a method Observation as a
Participant observation: the technique
researcher is directly involved. - Not the same as the
e.g. in a sports team observation method.
observing group behaviour. - This refers to how
observation can be
used to gather data
Non-participant observation:
in many research
the researcher is not directly methods.
involved.
e.g. observing reactions
e.g. observing how children to a violent
play. video.

5. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research
method and the associated key terms (AO3)
The Observational Method
ME
This seems easy
enough!
YOU Ok.
You try it!

6. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research
method and the associated key terms (AO3)
Take a slip and 3 minutes,to yourself.
For keep it try to create a
rhyme/method for
remembering the three
research designs within
Look at the details of the small-scale research
laboratory experiment:
(pilot study) using the observational method.
• Repeated Measures
• Independent Groups
• Matched Pairs
For the next 3 minutes you are the researcher. So
get observing and recording!

7. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research
method and the associated key terms (AO3)
You have just completed a non-participant
observation (you were not involved).
How did you find it?
What was easy/problematic in observing
and recording?
OPERATIONALISING?

8. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research
method and the associated key terms (AO3)
Behavioural categories: in order to observe a
behaviour we need to operationalise it which often
results in behavioural categories. Could you
categorise the
behaviour you
were observing?
2 ways of sampling observed behaviours
Time sampling: making observations and recordings
for short intervals in a period of time e.g. every 3 mins
of 15 mins.
Event sampling: To record only as events occur.

9. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research
method and the associated key terms (AO3)
Difficulties in observational research?
Observer bias: observer interprets what they see
according to their individual feelings, beliefs.
Controls? 1. behaviour is fully operationalised so the
categories require least interpretation. 2. check observer
reliability – called inter-rater reliability – for consistency.
How many times did I lift my left hand?
How many times did the nearest boy fiddle with his pen?
Did we have inter-rater reliability?

10. L/O: to be able to describe observation as a research
method and the associated key terms (AO3)
Strengths Weaknesses
• High ecological • Observer bias risk.
validity.
• Replication is
• Behaviour can be difficult.
observed that cannot
• Tend to be small-scale
be in the laboratory.
so not easily
• Few demand generalisable.
characteristics.