RESEARCH METHOD

0BSERVATION
 Observation is a well-organized tool for exploring or
revealing the social world and should be considered in
situations where detailed descriptions of a setting and
the meanings and values of its inhabitants need to be
explored.

OBSERVATION Scientific observation

Observation becomes scientific when it is orderly

planned and executed for collecting data, when it is link
to a specific goal and when it focuses to tests and
controls.
 “ You see, but you do not
observe”
Sherlock Holmes
 WHAT CAN BE OBSERVED?

Human
Physical Expressive
attitude or
objects behavior
activities

Verbal Pictorial
behavior records
 Complete Participant as
participant observer
(Covert (Visible
observation) observation)
NATURE OF THE
OBSERVATION

Observer as Complete
participant observer
 COMPLETE PARTICIPANT

A sociologist pretends to
be a patient in mental
hospital and observe
The observation in which
silently the activities of
the respondents are
mentally ill patients. Staff
ignorant to being
were used to his activities
1.Complete participant observed and becomes Example:
and never think that he is
complete participant is
a normal person. The
called hidden or covert
sociologist got the full
observation.
information of contextual
environment of the
hospital
 PARTICIPANT AS OBSERVER
(VISIBLE OBSERVATION)

2. Participant as observer
(Visible observation)
The observation where the participants are aware of being observed, and
researcher act as participant as observer or informed the people observing
nature and of research purposes. (Gold ,1958).

Example:
If researcher is observing a hospital laundry, although he had taken observational research
permission, but the workers may not like the reality of being observed or to watch their
work. Every worker will assume a researcher as a management spy. In such conditions,
the validity of data will be at risk because the workers will not behave naturally but oddly
that’s why overt observation gives results artificially.
 OBSERVER AS PARTICIPANT

3. Observer as participant
The observer as participant is the researcher who
participates in the social setting under study but is not a
group member. Group members are aware of the purpose
of the research and are more likely to be open with a
researcher who is not a member of their group.

Example:
The Ethnographic research is conducted to understand the
process and structure of a social setting.
 COMPLETE OBSERVER
4.Complete observer
The complete observer is one in which the researcher is able to
observe the setting and group under study without involving, but
respondents are unconscious of being observed.

Example :
When a psychologist observes a client, using a one-way mirror. Once you have gained
entry into a setting to begin observing, you may encounter situations in which direct
observation, where you are not participate in the activity, is the best way to collect data
but on the other hand, systematically observing your surroundings, paying focus to the
activities that are occurring, and documenting the things what you have learned in the
setting will be an important piece of the data collection process. (Gold ,1958).
 CLASSIFICATION OF
OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH

For structured In structured

observation the observation the
researcher specifies in researcher monitors all
Unstructured
Structured observation detail what is to be aspects of the
observation
observed and how the phenomenon that seems
measurements are to be relevant to the problem
recorded. at hand.
 CLASSIFICATION OF
OBSERVATION

In the case of direct

It involves studies of
observation, the
mechanical recording
observer plays an
or the recording by
important role in the
Direct Observation Indirect Observation some of the other
way that he is
means like
physically present in
photographic or
that situation and
electronic.
observes .
 FORMS OF OBSERVATION

• Naturalistic Observation
The Naturalistic observation comprises observing individuals or group in their natural
settings. In this case the researcher makes no attempt to manipulate or influence variables
by controlling the activities of individuals or group of people, but basically examines and
records what actually happens as things naturally occur. For instance, the actions of
students at an athletic event, the collaboration between students and teachers on the
playground. (Bakeman, 1978)

• Controlled Observation
The simulations are very different from the naturalistic observation. In this case the
researcher sometimes creates a situation in order to investigate some variables and then tell
the participants to act out according to the requirement of roles. In simulations, the
researcher guides the subjects that they just have to develop an artificial situation.
(Schegloff, 2000)
 IMPACTS OF OBSERVER

O O
b O
b b
s s
s
e
e r
er
v
r v er
v e e
e r x
r b p
i e
e ct
f a
s at
f n
i
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 Discard Perspective of
presumed the participants
theories
AIMS OF
OBSERVATIONA
L RESEARCH
Contextualization
 Mental and
Physical
activity

Direct Specific
study aim

CHARACTERISTI
CS OF
OBSERVATION
Exactness
and Planning
Authenticity

Recording
 The
setting
FACTORS The
THAT participa
SHOULD BE The The Social Frequen
INVOLVED nts behavior
purpose cy and
duration
 ETHICAL PROBLEMS IN
HUMAN OBSERVATION

The hidden observation is criticized that it is unethical to

observe someone without their knowledge, it is stated that
it is not appropriate to notice someone without informing
them. It can breach their privacy.
The other type of observation that is contrived observation
raises the actual possibility of deception of subjects. But it
becomes problematic that if observer will inform the
participants that they will going to be observed, they will
try to change their behavior
 RECORDING OF DATA

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 PROS AND CONS OF
OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH

Advantages Disadvantages
• Direct method • Difficulty in analysis of past events
• Accurate • Time –consuming
• Role of researcher • Ethical dilemmas
• Verbal response and reactions • Subjectivity of researcher
• In-depth analysis • Biasness of researcher
 REFERENCES
• Gold, R. L. (1958). Roles in sociological field observations. Social
Forces, 36, 217-223.
• Grove, S.J. and Fisk, R.P., "Observational data collection methods for
services marketing: an overview," Journal of the Academy of
Marketing Science, Vol. 20, No. 3, 1992, pp 217
• Haila, Y. (1992). Measuring nature: Quantitative data in field biology.
In A. E. Clark & J. H. Fujimura (Eds.), The right tools for the job (pp.
233–253). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
• Hardley, D. M. (2014). Using social media and Internet data for public
health surveillance: the importance of talking. Milbank Q. 92, 34–39.
doi: 10.1111/1468-0009.12039
• Mayr, E. (1997). This is biology. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press
of Harvard University Press.