Participant Observation

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Participant Observation

Advantages

  • Validity = In questionnaire some people say they do things when it may not be the same in reality therefore observing people allows rich qualitative data to provide a real picture
  • Insight = Personal or subjective understanding 'Verstehen' meaning empathy so that observers can get personal experience of the participants problems. Can understand their 'life-wold' gives authentic valid data.
  • Flexibility = There is no fixed hypothesis, the sociologist can enter open-minded and observe the situation first. Direction can be changed therefore any new explanations can be followed up. Polsky said if blunt 'keep your eyes and ears open but you mouth shut'
  • Practical Advantages = Wider groups may be engaged in activities who see society as deviant or disreputable. Yablonsky said a teenage gang may not like questionnaires as they are classed as outsiders but participant observation allows a rapport to be made.

Disadvantages

  • Validity = Positivists reject verstehen as they argue the findings studies are merely subjective, they are biased. Rather than how it is they are seeing it as the observer sees it. Researcher selects what they want to see. Hawthorne Effect = presence of observer may make the participant act different.
  • Representativeness = Downes and Rock note that making a sound basis of generalisations may provide a valid insight into the particular group but its doubtful of how far these internally valid insights are externally valid. Generalisation to the wider population.
  • Reliability = Depends on the personal skills and characteristics of a lone observer, its unlikely to repeat the original study. Whyte saw his study as unique. Qualitative data is hard to compare with other studies.
  • Practical Disadvantages = Time consuming, Training is needed, personally stressful, observational and interpersonal skills, (age, gender, or ethnicity may restrict groups) some groups wont want to be studied
  • Ethical Problems =covert observation raises problems such as deceiving people to receive information.
  • Bias and lack of objectivity = risk of being too involved, loyalty of the group or fear leads, attracts sociologists who sympathies lie with the underdog.
  • Lack of concept of a structure = Marxist and Functionalist see participant observation as inadequate, focuses on a micro level meaning wider options are ignored, these shape our behaviour, (class identity)

Evaluation

Why is covert participant observation more likely than overt to b stressful and demanding?

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