Deck 11: Observational Techniques

Question 1

Gaining access to,and then getting along in,a site is much more a matter of social skill orwhen the observer intends to announce her observer role.

A) degree
B) resources
C) income
D) degree and income
E) none of these

Answer 1

B

Question 2

A researcher is watching a group of teens at the mall.She is watching from about 100 yards away.Her role is a(n)

A) complete participant.
B) observer-as-participant.
C) complete observer.
D) participant-as-observer
E) none of these

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Joe is doing observational research of little league teams.He primarily observes and takes field notes but occasionally he will help with coaching.What is his observer role?

A) participant as observer
B) observer as participant
C) complete participant role
D) complete observer role
E) complete researcher role

Answer 3

B

Question 4

A researcher describes his observations using basic language and without much detail.He is using a description.

A) thick
B) extended
C) thin
D) intentional
E) limited

Question 5

Following Raymond Gold's (1958)typology,the authors note that there is a continuum of possible roles for those
Who use observational techniques.Which of the following is not one of those roles?

A) participant-observer
B) complete participant
C) complete observer
D) non-observer
E) participant-as-observer

Question 6

observations involve clear decisions about what kinds of things are to be observed.

A) Experimental
B) Modern
C) Unfiltered
D) Controlled
E) Thick

Question 7

Lofland and Lofland (2005)emphasize a set of social skills that include

A) connections, knowledge, and courtesy.
B) connections, knowledge, accounts, and courtesy.
C) friendship, familiarity, facts, and finesse.
D) connections, knowledge, courtesy, friendship, familiarity, facts, and finesse.
E) none of these

Question 8

What other method also relies on observations?

A) experiments
B) content analysis
C) interviews
D) data from questionnaires
E) All of these methods rely on observation in one way or another.

Question 9

Collingham's focal research used

A) nonparticipant observation.
B) controlled experiments.
C) thick descriptions.
D) complete observation.
E) participant observation.

Question 10

Most participant observers practice which type of sampling?

A) simple random
B) stratified sampling
C) quota sampling
D) purposive sampling
E) Participant observers do not use any of these.

Question 11

When a researcher is participating inobservation,the goal is to remain aloof.

A) full participant
B) non participant
C) participant as observer
D) partial participant
E) The goal is to remain aloof no matter what type of observation a researcher is participating in.

Question 12

The term for a participant in observational research who is interviewed is called a(n)

A) respondent.
B) informant.
C) protocol.
D) helper.
E) none of these

Question 13

Observational techniques may be desirable when

A) one doesn't know much about the subject under investigation or wants to understand experience from the point of view of those who are living it.
B) researchers are unable to speak directly with the subjects of the study.
C) quantitative research techniques are unfamiliar to the researcher.
D) the subject has been thoroughly studied by previous research.
E) one wants to test a causal hypothesis.

Question 14

In the focal research by Mueller,Dirks,and Picca,how was the data collected about Halloween costuming?

A) video ethnography
B) photographs
C) interviews
D) observation on Halloween
E) journal entries

Question 15

When new interviewees or settings look very similar to interviewees or settings observed previously,this is referred to as

A) grounded theory
B) theory simulation
C) repeated situation
D) theoretical saturation
E) none of the above

Question 16

Complete participant and complete observation do not permit

A) generalizability.
B) ethical considerations.
C) probing.
D) theoretical basis.
E) analysis.

Question 17

What kind of research is the focal research completed by Mueller,Dirks,and Picca about Haloween costuming?

A) exploratory
B) theory verification
C) explanatory
D) content analysis
E) none of these

Question 18

Sally is a researcher engaging in observational methods.She is taking part in all activities of those she is observing.What is her observer role?

A) participant as observer
B) observer as participant
C) complete participant role
D) complete observer role
E) complete researcher role

Question 19

A researcher who wants to gain access to a group may developas a reasonable explanation for the project.

A) an account
B) the story
C) a briefing
D) the advance
E) a resource

Question 20

Which of the following is not a technique used by visual sociologists?

A) analyzing visual documents
B) subject image-making
C) practicing photography
D) photo ethnography
E) none of these

Question 21

Explain why Halloween is a good holiday to study the social construction of race relations.How did the researchers accomplish this task in the focal research? Why were observational methods the best way to research this question over other methods?

Question 22

The most important reason for doing observational studies is because of their cost effectiveness.

Question 23

Observational techniques offer a number of advantages.Among these advantages are: getting a handle on the relatively unknown,obtaining an understanding of other's experience,studying rapidly changing situations,studying behavior,and saving money.Another advantage of observational techniques is that they

A) are relatively flexible as compared to other research methods.
B) avoid questions about the generalizability of findings.
C) provide statistical evidence for the generation of theory.
D) eliminate problems of researchers' bias.
E) allow for the use of grounded theory.

Question 24

The bias caused by the observed changing as a result of being observed is called

A) demand characteristics.
B) observational bias.
C) grounded bias.
D) informant bias.
E) ethnography.

Question 25

When the observed take on different attributes simply as a result of being observed,this is called

A) observational methods.
B) demand characteristics.
C) performance anxiety.
D) presentation of self.
E) both observational methods and performance anxiety.

Question 26

What are demand characteristics? How do they differ based on the role of the researcher? Give one example in research where demand characteristics affected validity of the data collection.

Question 27

Observational techniques don't usually require the time and energy preparing for data gathering that is usually
associated with surveys or experiments.

Question 28

Thick descriptions are based on bare bone facts versus context and motives.

Question 29

Give two advantages and two disadvantages of using observational methods.

Question 30

Purposive and other non-random methods of sampling are the most common kinds of sampling approaches in observational studies.

Question 31

Observational research techniques are often a problem because they cause the researcher to intrude into the lives of the research subjects.

Question 32

"Qualitative methods" can include qualitative interviewing and the use of available data.

Question 33

Observational research depends upon gaining access to and getting along in a particular observational site.Discuss how you would gain access to a site that might be outside your usual range of accustomed settings.How for example,would you go about conducting observational research among senior executives in a corporation,or a group of homeless mothers and children in a homeless shelter? Choose a site and describe what you would do to successfully and ethically gain entry.Be sure to discuss the social skills and resources that Lofland and Lofland (1995)emphasize: connections,knowledge,accounts and courtesy.

Question 34

Observational research has some potential disadvantages as well as advantages over other forms of research.It reduces researchers' control over significant events,and it can be time consuming and demanding.Another potential problem of observational research is that it can be

A) frustrating and energy consuming.
B) too much fun.
C) difficult to remember.
D) difficult to explain to informants.
E) none of these

Question 35

Observation is useful if you do not know much about the subject under investigation.

Question 36

What are the differences between thin and thick descriptions? How can visual sociology be used for observations and subsequent thick descriptions?

Question 37

Observational research includes participant observation but does not include non participant observation.

Question 38

Which of the following is true about observational methods?

A) Observation can be very time consuming.
B) Control is completely in the hands of the researcher.
C) Observational research can be demanding and frustrating.
D) Observational research can be time consuming, demanding, and frustrating.
E) None of these are true about observational methods.

Question 39

Mueller,Dirks,and Picca felt it necessary that students be trained in how to write in journals in order to collect data regarding costuming.

Question 40

Data collected from observational methods can be generalized to a larger population.