A topic in research methodology
Sometimes it is possible to observe without being seen or at least noticed (unobtrusive observation) at all. For example, it might be possible to use one-way glass, or observe through unobtrusive cameras and microphones. This could become covert observation where the observed are not aware that observation is taking place.
Observers may be unobtrusive – visibly present, but seeking to fit into the context and not be noticed. In some kinds of research – in public places where subjects are taken as standing for random members of the population and are not identified or identifiable, this might be acceptable. However, sometimes may be difficult to make observations and remain unobtrusive.
Usually in education research, observation is only ethical with the informed consent of those bring observed, and observation without permission would be unethical. This is a very important consideration, but there may be situations where it would be seen as reasonable to observe first:
“Deception (misrepresenting the purposes of research) is generally considered unethical. However, it is often necessary to be deliberately vague about the precise purposes of research as research participants are likely to (deliberately or otherwise) change their behaviour when being observed. Any teacher being observed (whether by a researcher, senior colleague, trainee teacher) is likely to be more careful than usual to demonstrate good practice, but knowledge of the precise focus of research may well lead to the observed teacher significantly changing his or her typical behaviour in relation to that focus.
In her report in JoTTER of her study on the challenge of being a left-handed learner in the primary classroom, Hayes felt it was important to temporarily withhold information about what she was doing in order not to influence the student behaviour (but then to ‘debrief’ after the event). This seems sensible, as telling the children what she was doing might have provoked them to think about how they manipulate objects, rather than just acting spontaneously.”
Taber, 2013: 236
Unobtrusive observation
A researcher may wish to be unobtrusive, for example if undertaking covert observation (where this is ethically justified), but this may be challenging – as in the following study exploring public response to restrictions on smoking in public places:
“The difficulty of ‘fitting into’ a bar they had never previously visited and of discreetly observing smoking was probably the main concern for the researchers who collected these data. The ability to ‘blend in’ depended on both the type of bar and the time of day. Matching the observer by age and gender to the bar was important in some circumstances, so that they looked like a ‘typical customer’…
Inadvertent violations of bar norms were also possible; a researcher could accidentally sit in a seat belonging to a regular customer. However, the most obvious measure the researchers could take to ‘fit in’ was to have a drink in the bar. Sometimes a soft drink was possible; but in some bars at some times this, too, could attract attention. In one venue putting money in the jukebox was also found to constitute unusual behaviour.”
Petticrew, et al., 2007: 5
Sources cited:
- Petticrew, M., Semple, S., Hilton, S., Creely, K. S., Eadie, D., Ritchie, D., . . . Hurley, F. (2007). Covert observation in practice: lessons from the evaluation of the prohibition of smoking in public places in Scotland. BMC Public Health, 7(1), 1-8. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-7-204
- Taber, K. S. (2013). Classroom-based Research and Evidence-based Practice: An introduction (2nd ed.). London: Sage.
My introduction to educational research:
Taber, K. S. (2013). Classroom-based Research and Evidence-based Practice: An introduction (2nd ed.). London: Sage.
