SOCPSY 2K03 Chapter Notes - Chapter 10: Participant Observation, Ethnography, Critical Ethnography

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Social Psychology
• Course: SOCPSY 2K03
• Professor: Anna Janzen

Document Summary

Ethnography and participant observation as methods of qualitative. The most recognized methods of qualitative research and refer to studying communities or groups of people for a long period of time by conducting interviews and observations. Ethnography: observing behaviour in an unstructured way and following up with in- depth, unstructured discussions and interviews with the people studied. Emerged as the ways to study culture and life in particular communities. Broader descriptions of the community, its traditions, and events. Usually represent the community from the inside, through the eyes of its participants. Participant observation: the observational component of ethnographic work. One of the difficulties in ethnography is gaining access to the social setting, which can be open or closed, and the researcher may assumer an overt or covert role. Closed settings: have some sort of demarcated boundary for social access. Usually private or restricted settings like clubs, gangs, and organizations.