Chapter 8 Observation Studies This chapter provides coverage on conducting observation studies.

Application Example of Direct Observation The Nielsen Company conducted a $3.5 million study shadowing consumers throughout their day, inside and outside the home. The study used observational method. Observers followed participants throughout an entire day, recording all of their life activities including going to work taking care of household chores consuming media running errands

Learning Objectives Understand . . . When observation studies are most useful. Distinctions between monitoring. nonbehavioral and behavioral activities Various designs of observation studies.

Content of Observation Factual Inferential Introduction/identification of salesperson and customer. Credibility of salesperson. Qualified status of customer. Time and day of week. Convenience for the customer. Welcoming attitude of the customer Product presented. Customer interest in product. Selling points presented per product. Customer acceptance of selling points of product. Number of customer objections raised per product. Customer concerns about features and benefits. Salesperson’s rebuttal of objection. Effectiveness of salesperson’s rebuttal attempts. Salesperson’s attempt to restore controls. Effectiveness of salesperson’s control attempt. Consequences for customer who prefers interaction. Length of interview. Customer’s/salesperson’s degree of enthusiasm for the interview. Environmental factors interfering with the interview. Level of distraction for the customer. Customer purchase decision. General evaluation of sale presentation skill. Exhibit 8-6

Data Collection Watching Listening Touching Smelling Reading Besides collecting data visually, observation involves listening, reading, smelling, and touching. Refer back to Exhibit 8-2, which describes the conditions under which observation is appropriate. Smelling Reading

Using Observation Systematic planning Properly controlled Consistently dependable Simple observation is unstructured and not standardized. Systematic observation is structured and uses standardized procedures to observe participants or objects. Observation may be the primary methodology used to answer a research question when it is systematically planned and executed, uses proper controls, and provides a consistently dependable (reliable) and accurate and authoritative (valid) account of what happened. Accurate account of events

Observation Classification Nonbehavioral Physical condition analysis Process or Activity analysis Record analysis Behavioral Nonverbal Linguistic Extralinguistic Spatial Observation includes the full range of monitoring behavioral and nonbehavioral activities and conditions. These can be classified as behavioral and nonbehavioral observations. Nonverbal observation is the most prevalent and refers to recording physical actions or movements of participants. These behaviors can be measured with the human eye and with several mechanical or digital devices. These devices are discussed on the following slide. Linguistic observation is the observation of human verbal behavior during conversation, presentation, or interaction. Extralinguistic observation is the recording of vocal, temporal, interaction, and verbal stylistic behaviors of human participants. It is discussed further on slide 10-12. Spatial observation is the recording of how humans physically relate to one another. Nonbehavioral observation is the observation of the effects or traces of prior actions or of nonhuman activity. Physical condition analysis is the recording of observations of current conditions resulting from prior decisions. Process (activity) analysis is observation by a time study of stages in a process, evaluated on both effectiveness and efficiency. Record analysis is the extraction of data from current or historical records. Data mining is a type of record analysis, which is discussed further in the slide show.

Nonbehavioral Observation Record Analysis Physical Trace Analysis Record analysis…think data mining…is a common nonbehavioral observation. What you are looking at is an accounting software report relating to late payments of customers, but such observation could as easily be looking at a defect report from operations, a record of sick days in human resources, a promotions sales-lift report, or many others that firms—large and small—generate on a regular basis. Physical Trace Analysis: Garbology Process analysis started with time-motion studies in manufacturers, but today relates to any organization that tracks time related to activity or process steps and stages. Some examples include: banks (ATMs resulted from such a process analysis), merchandise retailers (e-commerce sites are constantly evaluating abandon carts), restaurants, medical practices, and architects use such nonbehavioral evaluations. Physical Process Analysis

Behavioral Observation “We noticed people scraping the toppings off our pizza crusts. We thought at first there was something wrong, but they said, ‘We love it, we just don’t eat the crust anymore.” Tom Santor, Donatos Pizza Donatos Pizza discovered something about consumer preferences from simple observation of human behavior. Offer a very thin crust pizza?

Systematic Observation Standardized procedures Structured Trained observers Systematic Encoding observation information Recording schedules Systematic studies employ standardized procedures, trained observers, schedules for recording, and other devices for the observer that reflect the scientific procedures of other primary data methods.

Mechanical/Digital Behavioral Observation Eye camera Pupilometer Devices Audio recorder Video camera Galvanometer Researchers can use their eyes to record behavioral observations but some things cannot be adequately observed with the human eye. Several mechanical devices are used to record behavioral observations. The most commonly used devices are the video camera and audio recorder. The galvanometer is a device that measures excitement, arousal, fear, or heightened physiological response to stimuli. It does this by measuring electrical activity in the participant’s skin. They are most used in advertising research. The eye camera and pupilometer are device that attach to a person’s forehead. When a participant is shown various stimuli, the researcher can measure the movement of the eye and the dilation of the pupil in the eye. For example, during an episode of a television program, one can match the eye movement precisely with what one is watching on the screen.

Observer-Participant Relationship Direct vs. indirect Disguised vs. Undisguised Involved vs. uninvolved Communication with a participant presents a clear opportunity for interviewer bias. The problem is less pronounced with observation but is still real. The relationship between observer and participant may be viewed from three perspectives: Whether the observation is direct or indirect Whether the observer’s presence is known or unknown to the participant, and What role the observer plays in the events or effects of events recorded. Direct observation occurs when the observer is physically present and personally monitors what takes place. Indirect observation occurs when the recording is done by mechanical, photographic, or electronic means. When the observer is known, there is a risk of atypical activity by the participant. Concealment shields the observer from the participant to avoid error caused by the observer’s presence. A modified approach involves partial concealment. The presence of the observer is not concealed, but the objectives are. The third issue is whether the observer should participate in the situation while observing. Mystery shopping is an example of observer-participation. In this situation…direct, unknown, uninvolved

Direct Observation

Indirect Observation: Garbology

Extra linguistic Observation Vocal Temporal Interaction Linguistic observation is the observation of human verbal behavior during conversation, presentation, or interaction. Extralinguistic observation, the focus of this slide, is the recording of vocal, temporal, interaction, and verbal stylistic behaviors of human participants. Vocal behaviors include pitch, loudness, and timbre. Temporal behaviors include the rate of speaking, duration of utterance, and rhythm. Interaction includes the tendencies to interrupt, dominate, or inhibit. Verbal stylistic behaviors include vocabulary and pronunciation peculiarities, dialect, and characteristic expressions. Barack Obama is considered a powerful orator. Ask students to relate concepts to his speeches. Verbal Stylistic

Key Terms Observation Direct Extra linguistic Indirect Linguistic Nonverbal Participant Simple Spatial Systematic

Key Terms Physical trace Process (activity) analysis Record analysis Spatial Relationships Unobtrusive measures