Observation is a primary type of research that people conduct in just about every field.

There's primarily
two types of observation the naturalistic observation and participant observation naturalistic
observation is when you are observing people places and or things in their natural setting without their
awareness of it. So some of the benefits that would be that you're able to see things as they really are
you limit the observer effect which is the idea that if you observe something the situation or whatever
you're observing is going to change just because you're observing it. Some of the drawbacks would be
that you have the possibility of getting quote-unquote caught and asked to leave so if you are worried
about trying a naturalistic observation and not getting permission beforehand to observe you can go to
a more public place where that wouldn't be a problem for example like a library where people normally
go and sit around and people watch. In participant observation you are observing people places and or
things with their knowledge and sometimes with their participation. The benefits is that you have
permission for observation so you're allowed to be there there's no reason why they would question
you for coming there or try to kick you out and sometimes you can even ask them questions about what
they're doing what they're trying to achieve if it's this a normal kind of day something like that some of
the drawbacks would be that this is the maximum observer effect where if people know that you are
there observing them they change their behaviors intentionally and unintentionally and in most cases if
you're observing a business you're going to see them at their best if they know that you're observing
them

observation is one of the most common data collection methods in primary research some of the most
significant of scientific discoveries in human history were made using observational techniques to go
back in history Charles Darwin as we all know used observations of animal and marine life to come up
with the theory of evolution today the method is popularly used by social scientists natural scientists
engineers computer scientists educational researchers market researchers and so on it is best used in
situations where one may be required to study mass behaviors like those of students in a college
canteen or that of commuters at a railway station or shoppers in among such observations are
conducted in a natural setting and not in a laboratory or controlled experimental setting and ethically
speaking the recording of your observations should be without bias or judgment and if at all a separate
record must be maintained for such comments the research involves observing people then there are
two common ways of observation one is participant observation and second is non participant or
unobtrusive observation participant observation is a common method within ethnographic research in
sociology and anthropology here the researcher may interact with the participants and become part of
their community on the other hand in non-participant observation there is no interaction with
participants the participants behavior is simply recorded without their knowledge now there is a further
classification to this both these methods can be done either covertly that is secretly whether where the
other participants do not know what's going on or overtly meaning openly where the participants know
exactly why the observer is there obviously there are advantages and disadvantages to all these
methods the advantage of a covert observation where the participant or non participant is that you are
likely to get the most natural behavior and attitudes of the person's being observed covert methods are
suitable for difficult to reach groups or those groups that don't welcome observers the disadvantage of a
covert method is that it might be difficult to get into a group as an outsider in overt methods again
weather participant or non participant the advantage is that it's quicker and simpler because all it
requires is to convince the group to be allowed to be observed ethically - this is the best way to conduct
an observational study however the disadvantage is that again with a participant or non participant you
can never be sure if the participants are putting on an act for the observers benefit or if they are being
truthful and not hiding facts https

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Researcher roles

• complete participant;

• Member of group, involved in group activities, Concealed purpose, spying ,

ethically wrong.

• complete observer;

• Not a member of group, Concealed purpose, spying , ethically wrong

• observer as participant;

• A spectator whose identity as researcher is known, - coaches

• participant as observer.

• You get involved in field work while your identity as a researcher is known to

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Participant Observation

Advantages Disadvantages

Validity - produces rich qualitative data which shows picture Covert participation observation raises serious
of how people really live. Researcher can see for them ethical difficulties - deceiving people to gain info on
selves them is wrong - or participating in illegal/immoral
activity in the course of research
Insight - Allows researcher to gain empathy through
personal experience . By acting as a member can get insight Practical disadvantages - very time consuming -
into their meanings, veiw points, values and problems - Whytes study took him 4 years to complete, need a
gives authentic data trained researcher to recognise specific details, can
be very demanding and stressful especially if done
Flexibility - more flexible and allows for an open mind.
covertly
Researcher can follow up different directions/ideas if
something interesting occurs - Whyte - 'learned answers to Representatives -small sample sizes as time
questions i wouldn't have had the sense to ask' consuming so hard to generalize from data

Practical advantages - Access to more suspicious groups as
can gain rapport and trust - helpful when studying groups
like gangs. Also useful to use where questioning ineffective -
Cicourel - study of how police categories juveniles through
unconscious assumptions it would be pointless questioning
them
Bias - risk of getting to involved and therefore giving
bias data, may begin to sympathise with the group so
give bias data - Willis giving romanticized view of the
lads to show them more positively