ERVATION AS A TOOL OF DATA COLLECTION Meaning and Nature: In behavioural researches, questionnaires and interviews are very ‘common and important types of data-collecting devices. But there are situations in which these devices can’t be used meaningfully. For example, when the investigator wants to see the behaviour in natural situation and study the situation-based features of conduct, the questionnaires and interviews no more serve the purpose and some form of observation becomes indispensable. Ina broad sense, the investigators constantly observe persons’ behaviour. For example, the investigators observe the behaviour of the persons in experimental situations, notice various expressions of the interviewees or respondents during the interview, watch people answering the questions or items of the questionnaire, and so on. Thus, all the investigators have some firsthand ‘on-the-scenes contact with the persons whom they are studying. But such observations are casual by-products of the investigators, which must be distinguished from the observation used as a fundamentally data-gathering device. Observation, as a fundamental technique of data collection, refers to watching and listening to the behaviour of dther persons over time without manipulating and controlling it and record findings in ways that allow some degree of analytical interpretation and discussion. Thus, observation involves broadly selecting, recording and encoding behaviour for empirical aims of260 Tess, Measurements and Resor Meth aoa Sconces description or development of theory (Wieck, 1968). In fac, observation, when propetly and Scientifically conducted, characterized by the following features 1. In observation, there i a natural socal context in which persons’ behaviour is studied at setings although ican also be used in such ‘Thus, observation usually curs na contrived settings as laboratory experiments and simulations 2. teaptures those significant events or occurrences that alec the relations among, persons being studied 3. 1 identifies important regularities and recurrences in social Ife by comparing and Contrasting the data obtained in a particular study with those obtained in the study of various natural settings, These characteristics are such as make the scientific and fundamental observation distines from casual and are more or less spontaneous observations made by researchers in course of conducting the investigations. Purpose of Observation Basically, observation as a too! of data-gathering device, has the following three basic purposes: 1. One major purpose of observation isto capture and study hurman behaviour as it actually happens. Ithelps in snapshot comprehension ofthe activities of the persons i real ie or social life 2. Another purpose of observation i to provide a graphic description of real life that can be acquired in other ways. There are so many areas of life about which we have few thorough descriptions and much is taken granted about those areas by social scientists. For example: How does a delinquent steal a motorcycle? How does a person actually 0 about leaming tobe an engineer or doctor or politician or professor? The descriptive base forall such lite evens is often provided only by observation. 3. Another purpose of observation is exploration. When the investigator observes human behaviour in areal life seting, he gets a good chance to explore those variables which ‘were important but overlooked. He also develops a tendency to look beyond what is already known about the subject and to examine the probability of some alternative directions for research. Not only that, observation also aims. at correcting. some ‘methodological erors which otherwise might have been overlooked, Thus, observation serves many useful purposes of which description and exploration are more important Important Types of Observation There are several ways of clasifying observation. On the basis ofthe ability of observational data to generate useful and researchable information, Reiss (19714) divides observation into the following two types: (1) Systematic observation: Systematic observation is one which is done according to some explicit procedures as well as in accordance with the logic of scientific inference. A psychologist studying the aggressive behaviour of children in their play group with some objective and explicit principles decided beforehand is an example of systematic observation (2). Unsystematic observation: Unsystematic observation is a type of casual observation made bythe investigator without speciying any explicit and objective inference. Apoychologt or sociologist observing the behaviour of people on a railway platform without ary expt principles and procedures isan example of unsystematic observation,ages ner a dans ies 266 COteraton has a be lasted the ass of he role played by he veto, On the bs ofthis criron,saneation muy be ened ks Pant servation aed onpacpuntoberataAdhcuwson olds wottay be reverted nse TA) Patcipant subsea “Ax Hs narse hls, in patiipat observation the nwo actly paripate sn the aces of the op we nerve. Hee, the IMresttor ay alate the member fa ap oF onanzaion an deci wo nerve under “newrrore sistions Or he may jo the flop tr he eres pone omar the op {tiecone or oesttion The procedure of pat }pantenervation en unstated nd ‘Suu the wenty ofthe abner ot Kron to ter meres fe ro vs ald {aud partcipant observation. But sometimes the persons who ae beng oben that thebserver 8 present for collecting inormation abut them. Ths i known a» undopused pteipnt observation. Thee, ter members othe rou ake him as an erdinany mer nd tract with hi in a ata way. Since the procedure here usually unstructted, the Aiserer his some Henly in deciding what tovabserve and how to record i. Facipant tiveraton usualy used to provide descriptions that otherwise would be unavailable Fs “example in one ofthe most important and provocative studies by Rosethan (1973), disguised paticpant observers ina psychic hoxptal posed as patents and later provided good count ofthe experiences However, prticpant observation has both srengths and weakness, An account of eng ven below (1) In paricipant obsenation, since the observation is done in a natural sting, the investigator sable record the behaviour ina reastic maner and natal, then, the analysis yields meaningiul and convincing conlsion about human bekaviout {2} Usally, the complete abservation by the methed of pricpant observation aks several daysand sometimes several months. Aa consequence, whatever informations collected is very bod and meaningll for understanding human behaviour. ‘Despite these strengths, participant cbseration has some limitations or weakness as sven below: it) Since participant obseraton is usualy unstructured, it ils to be precise about the proces for data accumulation, According to Rebs (1971) in participant observation less Stenson said to precision and more to discovery (2) Parcipant observation is 3 time-consuming device and, therfore, no all observers become ready to proceed by the procedures of participant observation (6) Since the observer panicpates inthe activites of he group in an active manner, he sometimes starts showing human weaknesses like lve, sympathy, hated, ec, towards the tmombers and thei behavour. This considerably jeopardizesthe validity and dependability ofthe Ahservaton (8) Nonpartcipant observation. Nor-paricipant observation isthe observation in ich the investigator observes the behaviour of her persons ina natural sein but does not Femina patcipant inthe activities being observed. Nonpatcipant observation ' usually svcd, and therefore, the observer preplans the likely nature of the natural sting, ‘epreseiaiveness of data, problems associated withthe presence of the investigator, et. Here kerr or the investigator i able oo into the development of exploratory saegies or some specific esearch questions or probing 'Non-paicipan observation also has some strengths and weaknesses. Ii major points of strengis maybe summarized 3 lows . abento ete 262 ss Moret aad Res 8 1ysructured, the obtained data is more reat ierent aspects and processes of obseryayon non participant ob tative. The o i ane sep inane wa. > sicipat absent the obvewer able 1 cONCETIE UPON 307 spi gn aad, terete 3B SHPNUMY 1 nt hy schon othe related probe Hower non-pacipant bse (1) m non participant observation, the bel Jon has some limitations as mentioned below: vviour of the persons being Observed and the settings do not remain a natural one. The persons develop the consciousness that their behavicun, are being observed. This conscigusnes sigh stots the natural flow oftheir behaviour. Sine Settings are structured, it also affects the persons being observed. But this limitation is ny considered very serious for want of evidences to the contrary. So far as the present kr joes, there is litle evidence to show that intervention in actual social Context, as practised in fhon-panticipant observation, creates any problem. Likewise, there is no evidence that the presence of a non-participant observer tends to have ny detrimental effect upon the behaviour under study (Black & Champion, 1976) (2) Non-partcipant observation fails to capture natural context of social settings tothe extent participant observation is able to capture. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION AND NON-PARTIC:PANT OBSERVATION Participant and non-participant observations are the two different forms of observation. These two types of observation do differ as indicated below: () Although both participant observation and non-participant observation are done in natural settings, in the former the observer or investigator actively participates inthe activities of the group of persons being observed, whereas in the latter such active participation does not occur (io Participant observation is usually unstructured, whereas non-participant observation usually structured. Since participant observation is unstructured, the observer has a greater degree of flexibility in deciding what to observe and how to record it (ii) n participant observation the identity of the observer is often hidden and he is treated like an ordinary member of the group; but in non-participant observation the observer is usually known to the persons being observed. Therefore, there is litle chance of concealing his identi This is how participant observation ders from non-participant observation.