OTHER RESEARCH Part – 1

METHODS
RESEARCH METHODS

•Observational Research
•Case Studies
•Archival Research
OBSERVATIONAL
RESEARCH
OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH
•Goals of psychology – description is of utmost importance
•Observational research – contributes to descriptive information
•Provides in-depth accounts of individuals or groups as they
behave naturally in some specific setting
OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH

•Varieties of Observational Research

• Classified along two dimensions:
1. Degree of involvement
Naturalistic Observation
• Participant Observation
2. Degree of structure
NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION
•Descriptive research method in which the behavior of people or
animals is studied as it occurs in its everyday natural
environment.
•Humans of all ages
•Semi-artificial environment
•Observer is hidden
•Absence - videorecorder
•Hiding of the observer- habituation
PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION
•Descriptive research method in which the behavior of people is
studied as it occurs in its everyday natural environment and the
researcher becomes a part of the group being observed.
•First hand insight- close to the action
EVALUATING
OBSERVATIONAL METHODS

Absence of control
Observer bias
Subject reactivity
Ethical dilemmas
ABSENCE OF CONTROL
•Some control in structured studies
•Researcher must take what circumstances provide
•Lack of control – careful conclusions
•Serves purpose of falsification – theory testing
•Calls some ideas into question
•Source of hypotheses
 OBSERVER BIAS
•Having preconceived ideas about what will be observed and having those
ideas color one’s observation
•Ways of reducing it:
•Behavior should be defined precisely
• Behavior checklist
• Defining is not simple
• Least replication
 OBSERVER BIAS
•Intercoder reliability
• Percentage of times that observers agree
• Combination of checklists
• Observer training
• Mechanism of procedure
•Various sampling procedures
• Time sampling
SUBJECT REACTIVITY
•Behavior would be influenced by the knowledge that it was being
recorded
•Unobtrusive Measures
Subjects are unaware that observation is being made
•Direct Methods- hidden audio or video recording or observers
•Indirect Methods – record events or outcomes that one assumes
have resulted from certain behaviors even though the behaviors
themselves have not been observed.
ETHICS
•Invading privacy
•Lack of informed consent
•APA Ethical Code and Observational Research
•Avoiding Harm
•Minimizing Intrusions on Privacy
•Use of Confidential Information for Didactic or other Purposes
•Dispensing with Informed Consent
•Informed Consent in Research Filming or Recording