CRJ 302 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Agent Provocateur
3 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
Field research and grounded theory observer roles and ethical issues. Participant observation: research is an active participant and even a member of the setting. Passing as a member, or actually as a member: covert: members do not know they are being studied. Issues with informed consent: overt: members know that they are being studied. Non-participant observation: researcher is a non-member, non-participant. Role is that of the researcher, not that of a member. Issues to address in field research: reactive effect (measurement effect) and internal validity: To what degree does the overt observation affect the natural setting. Does researcher contribute to, or modify, activities and events; how to relate to the people being observed. Questionable, validity- higher with observations: ethics: Covert observation has its own effects; no informed consent. Participation may have its own effects if behaviors are deviant or illegal or. Personal safety: sampling and external validity: Case study: often one case (a gang) or a few persons.
