The included observation is one of the methodscollection of information. It has its own classification, which is due to the collection of material, the form of the conduct, the duration and regularity of the study, as well as some other parameters that we will disclose in the article.
The included observation is a way of obtaining information that is used in various sciences related to the study of human behavior: in journalism, psychology and sociology.
So, in psychology this method is used most often in the pedagogical, social and age areas.
In sociology and journalism, observation is also a way of obtaining information about interesting objects or situations.
In all directions, it can be combined withexperiment, when the researcher creates specific conditions for a group of people and observes events and reactions. Now we proceed to classify the method of observation.
Enabled surveillance: open and hidden
- Open observation is characterized by the fact thatresearcher, getting into a group of people whose behavior interests him, does not hide the purpose of his presence. So, the psychologist, being among the children, invites them to play a game, being at the same time leading. During the process, he observes the participants and draws conclusions. Or, for example, a journalist, being in a crowd of protesters, will not hide the fact that he needs to make a report, however, he will also attend the event.
- Latent observation is most often used whenthe study of the conflict situation, where the researcher plays one of the roles: it can be a provocateur that stirs up emotions and evokes emotions in people for their vivid manifestation, or a peacemaker whose purpose is to smooth out acute angles and encourage people to reconcile.
Enabled surveillance: direct and indirect
This method of obtaining information can beDirect, if the researcher contacts the participants of the event. Indirect observation suggests that a psychologist, journalist or sociologist investigates the phenomenon with the help of other social facts. The latter kind of observation contradicts the included only if the researcher uses a remote method of obtaining information that does not imply contact with the participants. If communication is established, then observation can be indirect.
Enabled surveillance: standardized and unstructured
- The availability of a research plan or its absence determines the type of observation. So, if a psychologist or a journalist has noted an action plan for himself, then observation is standardized.
- Spontaneous observation, which does not have a strict plan of conduct, refers to the unstructured.
Included observation: systematic and non-systematic
- The systematic is carried out with someperiodicity. Usually it is used during large studies that need time-tested information: for example, determining the influence of the new technique on personality development. Especially often systematic observation is used by psychologists in working with children, where they note how much the child has changed, what are the tendencies of his development.
- Non-systematic observation implies that the researcher conducts it only once.
Method of included monitoring: laboratory and field
- Laboratory monitoring is the collection of information inspecific conditions prepared artificially before the start of the study. In this case, the psychologist creates a special atmosphere, prepares the materials with which the group will work, and the journalist, in the laboratory form, invites participants to the studio and (for example) conducts an interview.
- In the field form, the study is conducted in natural conditions, which were formed by objective circumstances.
