Understanding Observation in Psychology

What is a key strength of controlled observation in psychological research?

• High external validity

• High internal validity

• Ethical soundness

• Natural behaviour

Which type of observation involves participants being unaware that they are being observed?

• Overt observation

• Covert observation

• Participant observation

• Non-participant observation

What is a major weakness of naturalistic observation?

• High internal validity

• Lack of control over extraneous variables

• Ethical concerns

• Artificial setting

In the context of observational techniques, what does "event sampling" involve?

• Recording behaviour at set time intervals

• Recording every instance of a specific behaviour

• Using operationalised behavioural categories

• Comparing results using a statistical test

What is a strength of participant observation?

• Maintains objectivity

• Provides first-hand insight

• Reduces bias

• Ensures informed consent

Which observational technique involves using clearly defined behaviours that can be objectively measured?

• Time sampling

• Event sampling

• Behavioural categories

• Inter-rater reliability

What is the purpose of inter-rater reliability testing in observational research?

• To ensure ethical soundness

• To assess the strength of correlation between observations

• To record behaviour at set time intervals

• To control extraneous variables

Which type of observation is typically conducted in a laboratory setting?

• Naturalistic observation

• Controlled observation

• Covert observation

• Non-participant observation

What is a weakness of overt observation?

• Participants may alter their behaviour

• Lack of control over variables

• Ethical concerns

• High internal validity

What correlation coefficient indicates strong reliability in inter-rater reliability testing?

• 0.5 or higher

• 0.6 or higher

• 0.7 or higher

• 0.8 or higher