PSYC 2250 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: General Social Survey, Participant Observation, Dissociative Identity Disorder
26 Jun 2018
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PSYC 2250 Introduction to Psychological Research
Chapter 6 Observational Methods
Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches
Quantitative: original data is numbers (analyzed statistically)
Qualitative: original data is not numbers (analysis is interpreted)
Qualitative research is not bound by the same value as quantitative
Some method are used in different ways for both qualitative and quantitative purpose
- Naturalistic of research methods (mainly qualitative)
- Systematic observation (mainly quantitative)
- Case studies (both)
- Archival research (both)
Naturalistic Observation
Recording of behaviors as they occur in a natural setting E.g. in social settings
Used to describe and understand people’s behavior and experience “1st hand”,
- E.g. by joining a social support group for breast cancer victims
- Getting in a factory
Researcher:
- Often does not have a “hypothesis” (hypothesis often emerge from the interpretation of the
records), to produce accurate and complete picture
- Keep lot of accurate and detailed notes, audio and video recordings, etc..
A good observational report will:
- Accurately describe reality (“valid”)
- Be repeatable in other similar settings (“reliable”)
- Often be based on multiple observations by multiple observers
Qualitative description are often richer and closer to the phenomenon being studied than are
statistical representations
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
PSYC 2250 Introduction to Psychological Research
Notes: quantitative data can be collected at some time as qualitative
- E.g. “Starbucks’s coffee”
- Qualitative: what students do or talk about while standing in line
- Quantitative: time (in mins) students wait in line before leaving
Issues in naturalistic observation
1. Participant observation V.S Concealment observation
Two related issues:
Research
Insider Outsider
Purpose
Revealed
Potential researcher bias (e.g.
friends) + may influence those
being observed.
Objectively, but could still influence
people
Hidden Potential bias, loss of researcher
objectivity
Objective and unbiased, but can be
very unethical
Add by Steve(concerning ethic):
Researchers Interacts No Interaction
Subjects do know they are
being observe
Ethic minimal if subjects know
nature of research
Ethics minimal if behaviors is
public, if private, consent
required
Subjects don’t know they are
being observe
Seek REB approval:
- invasion of piracy
- deception
- psychological harm
Potential ethical problems with
private behaviors without
consent
2. Defining the scope of the observation
- Cannot record everything in detail must decide on what is important; often hard to do
3. Limits of naturalistic observation
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Quantitative: original data is numbers (analyzed statistically) Qualitative: original data is not numbers (analysis is interpreted) Qualitative research is not bound by the same value as quantitative. Some method are used in different ways for both qualitative and quantitative purpose. Recording of behaviors as they occur in a natural setting e. g. in social settings. Used to describe and understand people"s behavior and experience 1 st hand , E. g. by joining a social support group for breast cancer victims. Often does not have a hypothesis (hypothesis often emerge from the interpretation of the records), to produce accurate and complete picture. Keep lot of accurate and detailed notes, audio and video recordings, etc Often be based on multiple observations by multiple observers. Qualitative description are often richer and closer to the phenomenon being studied than are statistical representations. Notes: quantitative data can be collected at some time as qualitative. Qualitative: what students do or talk about while standing in line.
