1.4 NON-EXPERIMENTAL METHODS: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Describe non-experimental methods Outline important differences between

experimental and non-experimental methods Explain ethical issues related to interview,

observations and case studies.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS

Qualitative Researchers are interested in How people explain everyday experiences Occurs in a natural setting:

How do people work in teams in the workplace? How do women experience the transition to

motherhood How do college students adjust to independent living?

Qualitative research is guided by one or more research questions. Inductive reasoning: This is an open approach. Where as hypothesizing is deductive reasoning.

A claim that can be rejected or accepted.

INDUCTIVE APPROACH

No defined variables Researchers gather information and assess

what they have. Goal: to describe the meanings attributed to

events by the research participants. (Not to find a cause and effect) Findings are more subjective

WAYS OF KNOWINGEXPERIMENTAL VS. NON-

EXPERIMENTAL

Hypothesis Variables Deductive approach Objective Quantitative data Cause & effect Statistical analysis

Open research question

No defined variables Inductive approach Subjective Qualitative Data Identify

meanings/experience

Interpretive analysis

Experimental Non-experimental

TYPES OF NON-EXPERIMENTAL METHODS

Interviews Observations Case Studies

INTERVIEW

Most common way of gathering qualitative data

Interviewing requires training and skill: Verbal skills Establish a positive relationship Interpret non-verbal cues React to unconscious signs. participant bias: participants respond the way

they think is appropriate for the interview Social desirable bias: most people put their

best face on – many won’t reveal the truth. Interviewer effects: age, sex ethnicity, of

the interviewer that could interfere with the study

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

Structured Interview Unstructured Interview Semi-structured interview

ETHICS INVOLVED Informed consent Confidentiality Right to withdraw

UNSTRUCTURED INTERVIEW

The schedule and topic of the interview is the only established guideline

Pros: Open ended questions, leads to interests and motivation of the interviewee.

Cons: difficult to analyze.

SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW

Preferred method: combines a set of questions, that permits for open response.

Pros: there will be a number of closed questions that can be easily analyzed.

Cons:

STRUCTURED INTERVIEW

Questions are clearly established Order of questions are established Setting is highly controlled

Pros – easy to analyze and compare Cons – may appear to be artificial

BE A RESEARCHER

You have been commissioned to carry out research using interviews on one of the following issues:1. Positive and negative experiences in CAS projects2. What is it like to live in a foreign country3. Teenagers and drug use and abuse4. Prejudice in the classroom

Choose one from the list and consider the following questions.1. How would you carry out the research?2. How would you obtain your sample?3. What potential difficulties do you anticipate in

carrying out your interview?

OBSERVATION

Observations – describes behavior without trying to establish cause-and-effect relationship.

Naturalistic Observations take place in a natural setting.

Types of Observations Non-participant observations Participant observations

CHALLENGES TO CONDUCTING OBSERVATIONS

It is not possible to record everything in the field.

Research bias To overcome this: several observers can observe

the same behavior and then compare results. Inter-observer reliability

Participant observation The researcher is part of the group being

observed Nonparticipant observation

The researcher is not part of the group being observed

Covert observation: participants do not know they are being observed

Overt observations participants know that the observer is a researcher

NON-PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION

Can you think of any issues that might occur in data gathering as a result of non-participant observation? Demand characteristics? The Hawthorne Effect? Researcher bias?

PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION

The researcher becomes part of the group. The researcher experiences the situation with

the group What are some issues “covert participant

observers” must deal with? Recording information accurately Maintaining objectivity

POINTS TO CONSIDER IN OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH

1. Is the observation structures or unstructured?

2. Is the observation covert or overt?3. Does the observation take place in a natural

or artificial setting?

ETHICS OF OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH

1. Must have informed consent.2. Debriefs the participants after the event3. To carry out covert observations, proposal

must be approved by ethics committee1. Will the research provide information that will

benefit others?

COVERT PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION ROSENHAN 1973

After reading and viewing the experiment:1. What are the ethical issues involved in

Rosenhan’s study?2. Was the use of covert observations

justified?

CASE STUDIES

Case studies rely on real life data Behavior Feelings Experiences Thoughts

Measurements may include: IQ Blood testing Survey data memory

ADVANTAGES OF CASE STUDY

Allows for detail study/in-depth investigation. Example: brain damage and memory loss Twin separation and cognitive development

Data Collection: Interviews Observations Surveys Questionnaires Physical exams

Can you replicate a case study? No – therefore the reliability of your findings are

said to be low.

ETHICAL ASPECTS OF CASE STUDIES

1. Protecting the identities of the participants is vital.

2. Informed consent3. No deception4. Right to withdraw5. Debriefing6. Confidentiality

RESEARCH IN PSYCHOLOGY PG. 37

Read the case:1. Outline 2 ethical problems in this case2. What could be the reason that Money

continues to use this case as evidence of his theory of gender neutrality?