What are the strengths and weaknesses of naturalistic observations?

Answer 1

*Read following , in which you will come across adv. and disadv. of Naturalistic Observation.

*Naturalistic observation is a method of observation, commonly used by psychologists and social/behavioral scientists, that involves observing subjects in their natural habitats. Researchers take great care in avoiding making interferences with the behaviour they are observing by using unobtrusive methods.

*Naturalistic observation occurs when a scientist conducts observations in a naturally occurring situation, without becoming actively involved. In conducting naturalistic observations, a scientist makes no attempt to control or change what happens. The research task is to make a detailed record of the events that occur and of apparent relationships between events, without having any effect on their occurrence. Clearly the challenge in conducting naturalistic observation is to arrange the data collection so that the observer has a clear view of what occurs, but is not so prominent or noticeable that they become an object of interest or concern to participants.

The first stage of many programs of research in psychology as well as other sciences is naturalistic observation. Such observations give an initial sense of the key variables and critical relationships which can be studied later in a more rigorous way with tighter controls.

*Naturalistic Observation:

Identifies and measures the behavior of people or animals as it occurs in their everyday lives.

The behavior may be measured as it occurs or others could already have recorded it, or it may be coded on videotape to be coded at a later time.

Can produce a rich and complex data set.

Observation of a Behavior in a naturalistic setting over an extended period of time (a variety of methods are often used).

Primarily qualitative rather than quantitative.

Has ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY (occurs in situations that are similar [or identical] to the everyday life experiences of the participants [ minimizes reactivity ]

Observational Research

Involves making observations of behavior and recording those observations in an objective manner.

Researcher as Participant (Participant Observation) (acknowledged vs. unacknowledged participant): reactivity? Experimenter bias? Obtrusiveness? Ethics?

Researcher as Observer (acknowledged vs. unacknowledged observer): reactivity? Ethics? Efficiency (more time for coding behavior)

Sampling Strategies

Event Sampling (whenever X occurs)

Individual Sampling (cycle through the group one by one across time rather than try to code whole group simultaneously)

Time sampling (each person sampled for a set period of time)

Source: jdsheth2004 on Yahoo Answers

Answer 2

Nothing.