1. Observations

2. Observations Our next core study will be an observation.
Throughout this lesson, I will be deliberately showing signs of “madness”.
You need to make a note of anything I do which you think is a sign of mental illness.

3. Non-Experimental methods
Observations, like correlations are a non- experimental method
No manipulation of variables
Not technically an experiment
Observations can be used in two ways
As a research technique
As a research method

4. Observations as a Research Technique
Observations used as part of another research method
How did Milgram use observations?
What other studies have used observations?
What about in PY1?

5. Observational research
The entire study is an observation
Observing children in a playground
Sub-types of observation
Naturalistic or controlled
Structured or unstructured
Participant or non-participant
Overt or covert

6. Evaluation of Observations
Read through the strengths and weaknesses, and fill in the blanks
Read and highlight the ways in which reliability and validity can be dealt with
What ethical issues are raised by observations?

7. Pair work
Person 1 answers the questions on the sheet, while person 2 records person 1’s facial expressions on the next page. When person 1 has finished, swap roles.
What difficulties did you encounter when making your observations?
How did you feel when you were being observed? Did you behave any differently?

8. What type of observation?
A researcher was interested to investigate whether students continued to work when the teacher left the classroom. The researcher, who was sat in the classroom, conducted a structured observation of students’ behaviour when the teacher leaves the room. She makes a note of any behaviour on a coding-scheme.