A researcher poses as a probation officer to understand how probation officers deal with juveniles who violate probation. Would this research method be non-reactive?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the actual probation officers did not know the researcher's true identity and purpose, then the research method would be non-reactive because the probation officers would be behaving in their normal manner without any knowledge that they were being studied. However, if the probation officers did know the researcher's true identity and purpose, then they could potentially alter their behavior due to the Hawthorne effect, making the research reactive.

A Researcher Poses as a Probation Officer to Understand How