Podcast
Questions and Answers
How do unobtrusive research methods primarily differ from other research approaches?
How do unobtrusive research methods primarily differ from other research approaches?
- They focus exclusively on collecting primary data.
- They require direct interaction with the subjects being studied.
- They eliminate the need for qualitative data analysis.
- They do not require the researcher to interact with the people being studied. (correct)
Which of the following is a key strength of unobtrusive research in comparison to methods involving direct participant interaction?
Which of the following is a key strength of unobtrusive research in comparison to methods involving direct participant interaction?
- Reduced potential for the Hawthorne effect. (correct)
- Enhanced opportunities for in-depth interviews.
- Increased researcher bias due to reliance on secondary data.
- Greater ability to control the research environment.
What is a significant limitation researchers might face when using unobtrusive research methods?
What is a significant limitation researchers might face when using unobtrusive research methods?
- The inability to use quantitative data analysis techniques.
- The limited scope of research questions due to data availability. (correct)
- The increased risk of researcher bias affecting data collection.
- The constraints of subjects altering their behaviors.
In what way does unobtrusive research facilitate the study of societal trends and historical events?
In what way does unobtrusive research facilitate the study of societal trends and historical events?
How does the cost-effectiveness of unobtrusive research compare to methods that involve direct participant interaction or data collection?
How does the cost-effectiveness of unobtrusive research compare to methods that involve direct participant interaction or data collection?
What is a primary concern regarding the validity of research findings in unobtrusive research, especially when using secondary data?
What is a primary concern regarding the validity of research findings in unobtrusive research, especially when using secondary data?
Which of the following data sources would be most suitable for a researcher employing unobtrusive methods to study changes in societal attitudes toward environmental conservation over the past decade?
Which of the following data sources would be most suitable for a researcher employing unobtrusive methods to study changes in societal attitudes toward environmental conservation over the past decade?
A researcher aims to study the evolution of gender roles in television advertising from the 1950s to the present. What unobtrusive research method is most appropriate for this study?
A researcher aims to study the evolution of gender roles in television advertising from the 1950s to the present. What unobtrusive research method is most appropriate for this study?
What does 'coding' entail in the context of analyzing unobtrusive data, such as texts or physical traces?
What does 'coding' entail in the context of analyzing unobtrusive data, such as texts or physical traces?
How does qualitative content analysis differ from quantitative content analysis in unobtrusive research?
How does qualitative content analysis differ from quantitative content analysis in unobtrusive research?
In unobtrusive research, what role do 'physical traces' play as a source of data?
In unobtrusive research, what role do 'physical traces' play as a source of data?
A researcher uses unobtrusive methods to analyze how public transportation infrastructure impacts community integration. Which of the following would NOT be considered an unobtrusive data source for this study?
A researcher uses unobtrusive methods to analyze how public transportation infrastructure impacts community integration. Which of the following would NOT be considered an unobtrusive data source for this study?
How can understanding the 'social context' be a challenge in unobtrusive research, and why is it important to consider?
How can understanding the 'social context' be a challenge in unobtrusive research, and why is it important to consider?
When might a researcher choose unobtrusive research methods over direct observation or surveys?
When might a researcher choose unobtrusive research methods over direct observation or surveys?
In analyzing content related to political campaigns using unobtrusive methods, how might a researcher address potential biases in the data?
In analyzing content related to political campaigns using unobtrusive methods, how might a researcher address potential biases in the data?
Flashcards
Unobtrusive research
Unobtrusive research
Methods of collecting data that don't interfere with the subjects under study.
Validity issues in unobtrusive research
Validity issues in unobtrusive research
Researchers analyze data that may have been created or gathered for purposes entirely different from the researcher's aim.
Content analysis
Content analysis
Examining existing communications like texts, speeches, or media content.
Primary sources (Content Analysis)
Primary sources (Content Analysis)
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Secondary sources (Content Analysis)
Secondary sources (Content Analysis)
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Identifying themes
Identifying themes
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Physical traces
Physical traces
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Material artifacts
Material artifacts
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Coding (unobtrusive data)
Coding (unobtrusive data)
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Hawthorne effect
Hawthorne effect
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Preconceptions (bias) of a researcher
Preconceptions (bias) of a researcher
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Study Notes
Unobtrusive Research Overview
- Unobtrusive research is used to collect data without interfering with the subjects of study.
- Both qualitative and quantitative researchers use unobtrusive research methods.
- These methods do not require the researcher to interact with the people being studied.
- Human behavior leaves behind traces, such as letters, entertainment, goods, worn paths, and trash, which are valuable data sources for unobtrusive researchers.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Unobtrusive Research
- Strengths include no bias from the researcher, no possibility of Hawthorne effect, and is cost effective.
- The Hawthorne effect occurs when research subjects alter their behavior because they know they are being studied.
- Additional strengths include forgiving, allowing for easy correction of mistakes, and conducive for examining processes that occur over time or in the past, or occurred long before data collection.
- Weaknesses include potential problems with validity, as data may be created/gathered for purposes different from the researcher's aim, and topics that can be investigated are limited by data availability.
- Social context can be difficult to see or account for.
Data Collection Methods
- The two main ways of gathering data unobtrusively are conducting a content analysis of existing texts, and analyzing physical traces of human behavior.
Content Analysis
- Content analysis is a type of unobtrusive research involving the study of human communications.
- Content analysts investigate written copy and content that can be seen or heard, and visual representations of human communication such as television shows, advertisements, or movies.
- Data sources represent primary sources, which are original sources of data that have not already been analyzed, or "raw" sources.
- They also represent secondary sources, which are sources of data that have been analyzed by others, or "cooked" sources.
- Content analysis can be qualitative or quantitative.
- Qualitative content analysis identifies themes in the text and identifies underlying meanings.
- Quantitative content analysis involves assigning numerical values to raw data for analysis using statistical procedures.
Physical Traces
- Unobtrusive researchers analyze evidence that humans leave behind to understand who they are and what they do.
- Physical traces are evidence left by people that tells us about their behaviors/interactions.
- Material artifacts are objects created by humans that tell us something about their beliefs, values, or norms.
Analysis of Unobtrusive Data
- After identifying texts, physical traces, or artifacts, the next step is to determine how to analyze them using coding.
- Understand how to identify patterns across your coded data.
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