Structured observation
Which of the following is not a type of sampling used in structured observation?
Focal sampling
Scan sampling
Emotional sampling
Behaviour sampling
Emotional sampling
Martin & Bateson (2007, cited on page 274) identify four main types of sampling that apply to structured observation. It is important to bear in mind that the behaviour itself is the focus of study, rather than the person exhibiting the behaviour, so samples are drawn up according to occurrences in time. “Ad libitum sampling”, records all behaviours observed in a particular time period whereas, “focal sampling” concentrates on one individual only, in a set time period. “Scan sampling” observes behaviours within a group at set intervals. Finally, “behaviour sampling”, somewhat confusingly, occurs by the researcher observing which individuals engage in which sort of behaviours. We can observe behaviour but there seems no way we can observe impulses to behaviour, like emotions.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 274
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 274
Emotional sampling Martin & Bateson (2007, cited on page 274) identify four main types of sampling that apply to structured observation. It is important to bear in mind that the behaviour itself is the focus of study, rather than the person exhibiting the behaviour, so samples are drawn up according to occurrences in time. “Ad libitum sampling”, records all behaviours observed in a particular time period whereas, “focal sampling” concentrates on one individual only, in a set time period. “Scan sampling” observes behaviours within a group at set intervals. Finally, “behaviour sampling”, somewhat confusingly, occurs by the researcher observing which individuals engage in which sort of behaviours. We can observe behaviour but there seems no way we can observe impulses to behaviour, like emotions.
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
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
Which of the following is a problem associated with survey research?
A. The problem of objectivity
B. The problem of “going native”
C. The problem of omission
D. The problem of robustness
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