Structured observation
It may not be possible to use a probability sample to observe behaviour in public places because:
The findings of such studies are not intended to have external validity
It is not feasible to construct a sampling frame of interactions
It is difficult to gain access to such social settings
Researchers prefer not to use random samples whenever possible
It is not feasible to construct a sampling frame of interactions
Quantitative research automatically brings probability sampling to mind. If we have defined the population closely and located a sampling frame, random sampling becomes feasible. The problem with observation, is that it is often focussed on an incident and as a result, we cannot know what other kinds of interaction might have gone on, and so we cannot know whether each episode was ‘representative’. It is not possible to develop a “snowball” sample either, because we are limited to observation alone. However, just as other data-gathering tools use non-probability samples, so too can direct observation. Answer (d) may be right – perhaps researchers try to steer clear of random sampling. This question is not concerned with research preference, however, but with research possibility.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 274
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 274
It is not feasible to construct a sampling frame of interactions Quantitative research automatically brings probability sampling to mind. If we have defined the population closely and located a sampling frame, random sampling becomes feasible. The problem with observation, is that it is often focussed on an incident and as a result, we cannot know what other kinds of interaction might have gone on, and so we cannot know whether each episode was ‘representative’. It is not possible to develop a “snowball” sample either, because we are limited to observation alone. However, just as other data-gathering tools use non-probability samples, so too can direct observation. Answer (d) may be right – perhaps researchers try to steer clear of random sampling. This question is not concerned with research preference, however, but with research possibility.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 274
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 274
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What did Salancik mean by “field stimulations”?A. Being immersed in the field can help to simulate the experience of your informants
B. Researchers can intervene in and manipulate a setting to observe the effects
C. Surveys conducted in the field are more effective than structured observation
D. Some researchers find their projects so stimulating that they have to lie down
LaPiere conducted a study of the way restaurant owners granted or refused access to a Chinese couple. This is an example of observing behaviour in terms of:
A. Individuals
B. Incidents
C. Short time periods
D. Long time periods
The key advantage of structured observation over survey research is that:
A. It does not rely on the researcher’s ability to take notes
B. The researcher is immersed as a participant in the field they are studying
C. It does not impose any expectations of behaviour on the respondents
D. It allows you to observe people’s behaviour directly
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
What is meant by the term “reactive effect”?
A. If people know they are being observed, they may change their behaviour
B. Research subjects may have a bad reaction to the drugs they are given
C. Researchers sometimes react to their informants’ behaviour with horror
D. The categories on an observation schedule may not be mutually exclusive
What is an observation schedule?
A. A set of explicit rules for assigning behaviour to categories
B. A timetable of days on which you plan to carry out your observation
C. A list of questions to ask your interviewees
D. A way of testing for measurement validity
Cohen’s kappa is a measure of:
A. Inter-surveyor consistency
B. Intra-observer validity
C. Intra-coder validity
D. Inter-observer consistency
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