FIRST CITY PROVIDENTIAL COLLEGE

Narra, Francisco Homes, City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan

Bachelor of Science in Psychology/Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

3rd Year
Learning Module 5

Course: Research in Psychology 1

Semester: 2nd
Course Outcome #: 1
Lesson Number: 5
Topic: Qualitative Instrumentation
Part One
Session 1 What to learn Asynchronous
I. Program Educational Objectives
Within three years after graduation, the graduates of Bachelor of Science in Psychology
shall:
1. Show the ability to continuously synthesize knowledge in solving problems for the
welfare of promoting mental health.
2. Perform work responsibly guided by the institution’s core values.
3. Engage in career advancement for professional development in the field of Psychology.
4. Actualize ethical and professional standards as practitioners in the field of Psychology.
II. Program Outcomes

1. Demonstrate the capability to discuss and analyze the major theories and concepts in
psychology (knowledge in psychology)
2. Demonstrate and apply the methods of psychological inquiry in building knowledge on
local culture and context (psychological research)
3. Demonstrate and apply psychological theories and methods in personal and
professional setting (application of psychology)
4. Demonstrate capability for self-reflection and independent learning in graduate
education or in a professional context (independent learning)
5. Demonstrate professional and ethical behaviors in research and practice in Psychology
(ethics)
6. Demonstrate harmonious interpersonal relationship with colleagues, clients and others
(interpersonal skills) in diverse cultural setting
7. Demonstrate the ability to conduct psychological assessments and evaluation
8. Pursue lifelong learning for personal and professional growth through varied
experiential and field-based opportunities
 III. Explanation of the Lesson

The second technique used by student researchers is observation. When researchers

observe, they (1) watch, (2) examine, (3) inspect, (4) scrutinize, (5) explore, and (6) probe.
Observation is way of gathering data by watching behavior, events, or noting physical
characteristics in their natural setting. Observations can be overt (everyone knows they are
being observed) or covert (no one knows they are being observed and the observer is
concealed).

Recorded Teaching
Directions: Watch the recorded teaching on Observational research.

IV. Read and learn more

Evaluation Briefs No 16 (cdc.gov)
Lammers&BadiaCh06 (uca.edu)

V. Research Analysis
https://home.iitk.ac.in/~krp/Papers/QRJ_Final-Solution_2.pdf

VI. Links

Extract the key concepts from this video related to Qualitative Instrumentation.

VII. Want to Ask Questions

Write questions about the lesson in the FORUM section of NEO, for online students. Send
your questions to your teacher, for the offline students.
Session 2 Learn More Synchronous
I. Motivation:

https://www.marketing91.com/observation-method/
 II. Articulation of Purpose and Objectives
Observation, as the name implies, is a way of collecting data through observing. Observation
data collection method is classified as a participatory study, because the researcher has to immerse
herself in the setting where her respondents are, while taking notes and/or recording. Observation
as a data collection method can be structured or unstructured. In structured or systematic
observation, data collection is conducted using specific variables and according to a pre-defined
schedule. Unstructured observation, on the other hand, is conducted in an open and free manner in
a sense that there would be no pre-determined variables or objectives.

Advantages of observation data collection method include direct access to research

phenomena, high levels of flexibility in terms of application and generating a permanent record of
phenomena to be referred to later. At the same time, observation method is disadvantaged with
longer time requirements, high levels of observer bias, and impact of observer on primary data, in
a way that presence of observer may influence the behaviour of sample group elements.

It is important to note that observation data collection method may be associated with certain
ethical issues. Fully informed consent of research participant(s) is one of the basic ethical
considerations to be adhered to by researchers. At the same time, the behaviour of sample group
members may change with negative implications on the level of research validity if they are
notified about the presence of the observer.

III. Development of the Lesson

Objective # 1 Know the four roles of an observer.

There are four roles of an observer, according to Fraenkel and Wallen (1994), which may be
helpful to student researchers:
1. complete participant observer does not reveal his identity to the individuals being observed.
He interacts with members of the group as naturally as possible and becomes one of them.
2. Participant as observer participates fully in the activities of the group being studied but also
makes clear that he is doing research.
3. Observer as participant participates superficially in the activities of the group being studied
and makes it clear that he is doing research.
4. Complete observer only observes activities of the group without becoming a participant in
those activities.
The student researcher must decide on what role of an observer he will take in the particular
study. The name of the game is appropriateness to the ethical conditions of the research
framework that the student researcher has to consider.
Objective # 2: Demonstrate the four roles of the observer.
Consider the following examples that demonstrates the four roles of the observer.
Complete Participant Observer
When a student researcher is doing an ethnographic study at Manila Doctors’ Hospital where he wants
to find out how the nurses deal with patients in the admission department, he requests to be assigned to
the particular department from proper authorities for his RLE in the hospital. There the nurses do not know
that he is doing research, and that he observes how they deal with patients ( whether they treat them well,
maltreats or mistreats them). In this case he takes the role of a complete participant observer, where his
identity is concealed, because if it is revealed and the nurses would know the particulars of his research
they would be pretending to be extra nice to the patients even if it is not customary on their part to be
treating the patients well.
Participant as Observer
A student researcher would want to observe operating procedures in the operating room and he wants
to take the role of a participant as observer. He requests permission to be assistant to the scrub nurse in
that particular event. During the operation, he assists the scrub nurse and at the same time observes the
proceedings; meanwhile everybody in the room knows that the student nurse is doing research. In this
case , there would be no major difference whether or not the student nurse reveals himself as a researcher
because the procedure in the operating room would not change in his presence or absence.

Observer as Participant
The same scenario can be applied to a student nurse becoming observer as participant in the research.
In the operating room where he observes the proceedings, he may not be considered an assistant to the
scrub nurse during the operation but participates or assists from time to time ,whenever called for.

Complete Observer
In the operating room, the student nurse becomes a complete observer when he is restricted to perform
any tasks. He is given permission only to observe.
 Objective # 3: Discuss the Documentary/Content analysis
Document or content analysis studies, examines and scrutinizes written or visual contents of
a document. Its objective is to analyze the conscious beliefs, attitudes, values or ideas revealed in
the documents. It is a research tool used to determine the presence of certain words, themes, or
concepts within some given qualitative data (i.e. text). Using content analysis, researchers can
quantify and analyze the presence, meanings and relationships of such certain words, themes, or
concepts. As an example, researchers can evaluate language used within a news article to search
for bias or partiality. Researchers can then make inferences about the messages within the texts,
the writer(s), the audience, and even the culture and time of surrounding the text.
Uses of Content Analysis

• Identify the intentions, focus or communication trends of an individual, group or

institution.
• Describe attitudinal and behavioral responses to communications.
• Determine psychological or emotional state of persons or groups.
• Reveal international differences in communication content.
• Reveal patterns in communication content.
• Pre-test and improve an intervention or survey prior to launch.
• Analyze focus group interviews and open-ended questions to complement quantitative
data.
Types of Content Analysis
There are two general types of content analysis: conceptual analysis and relational analysis.
Conceptual analysis determines the existence and frequency of concepts in a text. Relational
analysis develops the conceptual analysis further by examining the relationships among concepts
in a text. Each type of analysis may lead to different results, conclusions, interpretations and
meanings.
In doing content analysis, the student researcher should know what he is looking for in a
document. It is like looking for pearls in the ocean. When one wants to look for pearls in the ocean,
he should know exactly how pearl looks like because he would not be able to find them even if
they are just around him.
IV. 6 Facets of Understanding Questions
Explanation: Explain the four roles of an observer.
Interpretation: How would you define content analysis?
Application: What are the strengths and weaknesses of observation?

Perspective: In what circumstances do academic researchers rely on content analysis?

Empathy: What was content analysis trying to make us see?
Self-Knowledge: What is driving the growth of content analysis?
V. Explanation Application Reflection (EAR)

Explanation: Explain the advantages of content analysis.

Application: Compare and contrast content analysis and grounded theory approaches to
text analysis. Be sure to explain in detail the procedures and concepts of each approach.

Reflection: What connections can you make to your lesson today from any previous
research lessons or experiences you had?

VI. Formative Assessment

Session 3 Assess My Learning Asynchronous

I. Formative Assessment
Directions: Read each item carefully and choose the best answer.

1. Quantitative content analysis is an approach that aims to:

A. Objectively and systematically measure the content of a text.
B. Reach an interpretive understanding of social action.
C. Engage in a critical dialogue about ethical issues in research.
D. Provide a feminist alternative to 'male-stream' quantitative methods.
2. Which of the following could be subjected to a textual content analysis?
A. Interview transcripts
B. Newspaper articles
C. Song lyrics
D. All of the above
3. Which of the following is not an example of a 'unit of analysis'?
A. Validity
B. significant actors
C. Words
D. subjects and themes
4. The purpose of a coding manual is to:
A. Provide a form onto which the data can be entered
B. Provide researchers with instructions about how to code the data
C. List all the categories that have been omitted from the schedule

D. Test researchers' knowledge of statistics

5. Which of the following is not an advantage of content analysis?

A. It allows us to observe otherwise inaccessible populations at first hand.

B. It is a transparent and easily replicable technique.
C. It allows us to track changes in media representations over time.
D. It is a non-reactive method.

Learning Assessment
1. One of the criticisms often levelled at structured observation is that:
A. it does not allow us to impose any framework on the social setting.
B. it only generates a small amount of data.
C. it is unethical to observe people without an observation schedule.
D. it does not allow us to understand the meanings behind behaviour.
2. Which of the following is not an advantage of content analysis?
A. It allows us to observe otherwise inaccessible populations at first hand.
B. It is a transparent and easily replicable technique.
C. It allows us to track changes in media representations over time.
D. It is a non-reactive method.
3. Which of the following is not a type of sampling used in structured observation?
A. Focal sampling
B. Scan sampling
C. Emotional sampling
D. Behaviour sampling

4. Which of the following could be subjected to a textual content analysis?

A. Interview transcripts
B. Newspaper articles
C. Song lyrics
D. All of the above
5. Why might a researcher want to count the frequency of certain words in a text?
A. It increases the reliability of the coding measures.
B. It is a good way of finding out about the journalist's favourite words.
C. Emotive words can be used excessively to provoke a moral panic.
D. It shows which words are most common in the English language.
II. Verification of attainment of the objectives, with at least 80% quality and quantity
standards through the item analysis of the NEO LMS
Part Two
1. Recorded Teaching
2. Power Point Presentation

References:
Textbook
• Yap-Aizon, J.G., Research Made Easy.
• Content Analysis Method and Examples | Columbia Public Health

Prepared by:

Engr. Roberto R. Lizardo

Checked by:

Maria Luisa P. Valderama, Coordinator Psychology Department

Approved by:

Echel Simon-Antero, Ph. D, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research

Estrella O. Simon, Ph. D, President FCPC