Research Strategies Techniques

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Research Strategies / Techniques

• Research Design
• Experimental vs. Non-experimental
• Data source/Data collection
• Direct / Indirect Observation
• Document Analysis
• Survey Research

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Why Observational Methods?

• Observational methods, especially when used in
  the field, allow the researcher to study
  populations and behaviors that are otherwise
  unobservable through other research techniques

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Observational Methods

• Direct behavior observed firsthand (laboratory
  vs. field research)
• vs.
• Indirect only evidence of behavior is
• observed
• Example observing the favorite studying spots of
  students on campus

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Observational Methods

• Participant researcher is a regular participant
  in the activities or group being observed
• vs.
• Nonparticipant does not participate in group
  activities while observing
• Example Studying political parties

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Observational Methods

• Overt those being observed are aware of
  researchers presence and intentions
• vs.
• Covert those being observed are NOT aware of
  researchers presence and/or intentions
• Example Studying political parties

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Observational Methods

• Structured the investigator looks for and
  systematically records the incidence of specific
  behaviors
• vs.
• Unstructured all behavior considered relevant
  and is recorded
• Example Studying political parties

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Goals of Observational Studies

• Inductive vs. Deductive
• Exploratory
• Descriptive vs. Theoretical
• Richard Fenno were totally open-ended and
  exploratory. I tried to observe and inquire into
  anything and everything these members did. I
  worried about whatever they worried about. Rather
  than assume that I already knew what was
  interesting, I remained prepared to find
  interesting questions emerging in the course of
  the experience. The same with data. The research
  method was largely one of soaking and poking or
  just hanging around.

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Examples of Observational Research
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Dobratz and Shanks-Meile

• Research question What motivates people to
  participate in organized hate groups?

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Dobratz and Shanks-Meile

• Attended meetings (both public and private) of
  various white separatist groups over a period to
  two years (Direct, Nonparticipant)
• Observed/recorded all behavior that seemed
  important (Unstructured)
• Group members were aware of their identity and
  intentions (Overt)
• Researchers developed a theory of white
  separatist group formation/activity based on
  experiences/interviews with group members
  (Inductive, Theoretical)

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The Constitutionality of Police Searches (James
Larson)

• Goal of study to determine the degree to which
  police observed Constitutional guidelines
• Students trained to ride with police to observe
  police searches
• Researchers developed strict criteria for
  classifying searches
• Direct, overt, highly structured

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The Constitutionality of Police Searches (James
Larson)
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Richard Tewksbury and the Study of Sexual
Deviance
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Potential Problems with Observational Studies

• Subject reactivity
• Laboratory
• In the field
• Ethical issues

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Milgrams Obedience Experiments

• Experiment advertised as test of memorization
  training through electric shock
• Those being tested were actually actors
• Lab assistants hired to administer shocks were
  the true subjects
• 65 of lab assistants were willing to administer
  shocks of up to 450 volts

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Potential Problems with Observational Studies

• Subject reactivity
• Laboratory
• In the field
• Ethical issues
• going native
• Sampling issues