The Pros and Cons of Participant Observation or Surveys as a Research Method

Throughout this course, I have studied and participated in various methods of research. There were some methods I loved, some that I thought were useful, but they had their limitations, and a few that I did not particularly enjoy. Let’s start one of the methods that I enjoyed the most, direct observation. I used direct observation for the eating observation assignment. I first thought that I would be very uncomfortable using this method, but once I was practicing it I did not feel uncomfortable. I think this method is very useful since people act like themselves when they believe no one is watching. This allows researches to collect accurate data without the worry that the data could be skewed. Since my participant did not know that he was being observed, he felt comfortable is his surroundings to act like himself. I do like this research method and I would use it again, however there is a down side to the method. Since you cannot talk to you’re participants you then have to make your own conclusions, which may not always be accurate. This problem also comes up with systematic observation. Systematic observation was a method that I did not particularly enjoy. I found that there were too many flaws with the method, like the one previously stated. Another flaw with systematic observation is that the researcher is taking their own preconceived notions into their research. With systematic observation, one is looking for something that they believe people to do. The problem with

This was my first time enacting in a participant observation and taking field notes. Before starting the observation of the Dance Marathon sponsorship team meeting, I was worried that the meeting would not last the two-hour time span requirement as well as that the interactions within the meeting would not suffice my posed research question. I proved myself wrong in the fact that the meeting went overtime and my observations sufficiently answered my research question. This method practice made me realize how much can be answered and solved, just through observation.

Despite its advantages, however, observation can impact the study in various ways. In all ways, it is likely to make the behavior of the observed more superficial since the observed person is aware that he or she is being watched.

The four approaches to field research involve participant, participant observer, observer participant, and complete observer. As a participant, the role of the researcher may be concealed and therefore the researcher may attempt to join a group and pose as an ordinary member with the purpose of conducting research. This method allows the researcher to access a specific situation, but unfortunately, this strategy can wind up being limited. The role as participant observer and observer participant may not hold any significant difference as each one involves secrecy and deception as the traits a researcher must embark upon in order to gain valuable material on the topic they are studying. The complete observer involves the researcher becoming completed and utterly immersed in the environment, but at the same time, there is a possibility of being pulled into a situation that is inherently dangerous, as the researcher may become part of the

The most naturally challenge and quality data collection and exploration method is observation, Participant observation is in some ways both the most natural and the most challenging of qualitative data collection methods participant observation is used across the social sciences, as well as in various forms of commercial, public policy, and nonprofit research.. Such discovery is natural in that all of us have done this repeatedly throughout our lives, learning what it means to be members of our own families, our ethnic and national cultures, our work groups, and our personal circles and associations. The challenge of observation is taking notes, recording voices, sounds, and images; and asking questions that are designed to uncover the meaning behind the behaviors. Sociologists also conducted participant observation studies and discussed the use of the technique early on, including Beatrice Webb (1926) in the 1880s and the Chicago school of urban sociologists in the 1920s (Park, Burgess, & McKenzie, 1925).

He warns against what he calls as mind reading which is assuming you know what people are thinking and why they are conducting themselves in a particular way. To avoid assumptions Berger suggest asking questions to clarify the reasons of why people did what they did. Remember that just because you are asking questions doesn’t guarantee you will receive truthful answers. The benefits of participant observation are discovering patterns and relationships while the environment makes it easier to ask questions and allows for various types of documentation. Berger goes on to explain that once documentation has been completed we must interpret our findings through means of theories, concepts, and behavior

An individual in the field of research when taking into account naturalistic observation takes relevant and extensive field notes, which they later analyze in various ways (Trochim & Donnelly, 2008). When researchers are completing field observations, a naturalistic researcher can use photography to collect data (Cozby & Bates, 2012). The field researcher can also make copies of any relevant research or information as it pertains to the research or subjects use during the field observations (Cozby & Bates,

Observational research empowers a scientist to consistently receive empirical information from observing people in their natural circumstances without intentionally influencing the behavior and environment of study. The study has several observational styles where the scientist is not involved, can be notably present, but not involved, or becomes a participant for a firsthand view of the experience among the people studied. This hands-off research style requires the scientist to have discernment to remain oblivious, account for instances when their presence can affect the behavior and, as other studies, discipline to remain strictly not bias.

There are many different research methods such as qualitative, laboratory, archival, surveys, to name a few. The type of method that you chose is going to be based on the type of research paper you want to build. My final project will be conducted using qualitative research, this type of research provides results that are rich in detail without hard set research numbers. The most common tools used in qualitative research are focus groups and individual in depth interviews.

As a sociologist I have to use participant observation as my method of research, because I am within the group that is apart of this specific observation. Throughout the past week of watching these individuals interact with each other, there were noticeable changes in how they acted, but the transformation only occurred because of natural chances that could not be physically changed. The independent variables that were involved in this research were who the individuals were talking to, the location, and the feelings of the individuals at specific times. As I patiently observed my friends, I noticed that the only variable that I could change physically is where the group was located.

The third way to collect information for descriptive research, observational research methods, has long been used across a number of disciplines. Observational methods are concerned with naturally occurring behaviors observed in natural contexts or in contexts that are contrived to be realistic. Since observational research methods require direct observation of behavior, many consider it superior to other methods because the data are gather directly without intermediary

concerns (Todres, 2007). Todres (2007) and McCormick (2010) suggest the researcher can remedy this by staying in connection with his or her own ‘felt sense’.

Themes that emerge from the data are often reviewed with the informants for verification. The main focus of the research is to understand the ways in which people act and account for their actions.

While the correlation between a cause and its effects may seem apparent, often too many different factors must be considered. Through experimentation, more accurate correlations may be made to determine a cause. This aspect of experimental research makes it somewhat superior to other forms of research (Rutter, 2007). Another advantageous characteristic of experimental research is the possibility of replication. In most research applications, too many variables may pollute a given situation and increase the difficulty with which to adequately make initial observations. Experimental research is more easily contained to the desired set of variables, and as such experiments can be replicated to further test hypotheses. Reproducing an experiment is much easier than conducting additional research by other means (Fagaras, Kovacs, Oros, Rafaila, Topa & Harrant, 2013).

From a psychological standpoint, all these observational learning brought personal fulfillment as human interaction depends on our relationship to nature. Ankomah, P.K., Crompton, J.L., & Baker,