Observational design

Question 1

What are observational designs?

Answer 1

How the researcher actually plans an observational study

Question 2

What are structured observations?

Answer 2

Simplify the target behaviours that will become the main focus of the investigation- quantify observations using predetermined list off behaviours and sampling methods

Question 3

Structured observations evaluation:

Answer 3

STRENGTH- systematic and numerical so can compare an analyse data
WEAKNESS- lacks validity by only recording specific categories

Question 4

What are unstructured observations?

Answer 4

Wants to write down everything they see producing richly detailed data- appropriate for small scale research

Question 5

Unstructured observation evaluation:

Answer 5

STRENGTH- benefit from rich detail

WEAKNESS- risk of observer bias, can’t possibly write everything down

Question 6

What are behavioural categories?

Answer 6

Similar to operationalisation- target behaviours to be precisely defined and made observable and measurable (affection being hugging, kissing, etc)

Question 7

Behavioural categories evaluation:

Answer 7

STRENGTH- data collected more structured and objective

WEAKNESS- could lack validity if something is missed out

Question 8

What is a continuous recording?

Answer 8

Unstructured insertions of all target behaviour

Question 9

What is event sampling?

Answer 9

Counting number of times a behaviour occurs in target individual or group

Question 10

Event sampling evaluation:

Answer 10

STRENGTH- you won’t miss infrequent behaviours

WEAKNESS- if specified event is complex the observer may overlook important details

Question 11

What is time sampling?

Answer 11

Recording behaviour within a pre-established time frame, eg every 30 seconds for 10 seconds

Question 12

Time sampling evaluation:

Answer 12

STRENGTH- effective in reducing number of observations that need to be made
WEAKNESS- events may be missed while the break occurs