1. Depends on two key questions:
1. To what extent is the researcher involved?
(participant or non-participant)
2. To what extent is the group studied aware
that research is taking place?
(overt or covert)

2. Useful Website for this topic
 www.chrisgardner.cadcol.ac.uk for revision on both e-
notes and e-tests
 Useful lectures and tests on research methods
 (avoid hangman, word search and jigsaws)
 Don’t be afraid to go to AS section: most of this is
useful for you.

3. Participant observation produces
detailed qualitative data. (p.36)
It can be:
Participant Non-participant
Overt Covert
(open/ (hidden)
known)

4. Observation (p.36-37)
 Non-participant observation: researcher is completely separate from
the research group (eg using video/ observing behind a one way
mirror)
 Participant: researcher becomes member of group, joins in action
(Observation can take place at any point in a scale from fully non-
participant to fully participant.)
 Covert observation: group is unaware that research is taking
place, research is ‘hidden’, nature of research is not clear to members of
group
 Overt observation: nature of research is fully explained (‘open’) to group
who are aware that they are being researched
(Research can be anywhere along a scale between the two: i.e.
group may be aware that they are being observed but may believe
that the nature of the research is something other than what is
actually is.)

5. Read about this
(mostly) covert
participant
observational
research in greater
detail on page 37
of Blundell

6. Questions on
research
1. Define the kind of
research Patrick
carried out?
2. What problems did
Patrick face?
3. Comment on
reliability and
validity of research.
Example of covert participant
observation (p.37)
‘A Glasgow Gang observed’ 1960s by James
Patrick
 Gang leader knows researcher (teacher at time)
and invites him onto group to do research
 Researcher had to change accent, dress like gang
members and try to avoid gang fights, carrying
weapons and taking drugs without arousing
suspicion
 Found it difficult to record everything accurately
(rely on memory)
 Research records real gang life accurately but is
limited to one gang. His account is personal; may
not reflect the same results with a different
researcher.
 Although gang members were violent, potential
criminals, Patrick got to ‘understand them’.

7. Participant Observation p.37
Benefits
1. Social life is studied in
natural setting therefore
more likely to be valid
2. Research reflects group’s
point of view rather than
researcher’s
3. Researcher can gather
rich data
4. Might be only method
suitable in case of
cults/gangs etc
Limitations
1. Difficult to gain entry into/ leave
group (eg. gang)
2. Difficult to maintain cover (if
covert)
3. Researcher can become too
involved (lose objectivity)
4. Difficult to record information
accurately (i.e. keep notes/rely
on memory)
5. Group may act differently if
know they are being observed
(less valid)
6. Cannot be replicated easily: this
affects reliability.

8. Observation: Ethical Issues
Raises the most ethical concerns of any type of research
1. The strength of this type of observation (its about real life
situations) is weakened if subject (s) know they are being
observed
2. Researcher can disturb/distort behaviour of group (affect
validity)
3. Observing people in public places does not/can’t involve their
permission (why?)
4. Anonymity should be maintained (no names mentioned)
5. Ethical problem: researcher may observe deviant/criminal
behaviour but not report it (this may seem the right thing to
do but may risk future research)

9. Task: You want to research the following things.
Which type of observation would be best? Why?
1. How students use computers in the IT laboratory in
schools
2. Teacher-pupil interaction in classrooms between the
different form class groups
3. Interaction between the sexes in shopping malls
4. Integration among different nationalities in the
playground
5. Observing a deviant sub-culture in school
6. Teachers’ attitudes towards different ethnic groups

10. Strengths and limitations of participant
observation
Copy out and complete the following table. Try to include 2 or more points under each heading.
Strengths of overt participant
observation
Limitations of overt participant
observation
Strengths of covert participant
observation
Limitations of covert participant
observation

11. Strengths and limitations of participant
observation
Copy out and complete the following table. Try to include 1-2 or more points under each heading
Strengths of overt participant
observation
•Researcher able to be honest with
group
Limitations of overt participant
observation
•Researcher’s presence may
affect/influence behaviour
Strengths of covert participant
observation
•May be only way to gather knowledge
on illegal activity
•Not knowing they are being observed
avoids ‘observer effect’
Limitations of covert participant
observation
•May not ask too many questions in
case they ‘blow their cover’
•People being observed have not given
consent-deceptive

12. Questions H.W.
 Explain the differences between participant and non-
participant observation?
 Explain why you might find it difficult to record your
observations while being a participant observer?
 Describe what kind of data participant observation
produces and explain how might this be valuable to
researchers?
 You want to study female attitudes in Arab countries
towards all aspects of family life. What are your
considerations and concerns as a researcher?