Methods Of Studying Human Behavior



Methods Of Studying Human Behavior

Research Methods

Systematic or Naturalistic Observation

Case Study

Survey Method

Experimental Method

Correlation Methods

Systematic or Naturalistic Observation

Naturalistic observation is a research method commonly used by psychologists and other social scientists. This technique involves observing subjects in their natural environment. This type of research is often utilized in situations where conducting lab research is unrealistic, cost prohibitive or would unduly affect the subject's behavior.

One of the advantages of this type of research is that it allows the researcher to directly observe the subject in a natural setting. The disadvantages of naturalistic observation include the fact that it can be difficult to determine the exact cause of a behavior and the experimenter cannot control for outside variables. Where researchers observe others and infer about what they are doing. Usually involves counting behaviors Often is conducted in field settings and not in the lab.

As an example of naturalistic observation, the study of parent-child interaction may involve videotaping the parent and child in their home either as they go about their daily routine or as they perform an activity given to them by the researcher. These videotaped interactions can then be taken back to the laboratory and analyzed using a variety of techniques in order to extract the desired information from them. This particular research technique has the advantage of making it easier for research participants to be involved in the study.

Case Study

Is a major investigation of one unit.

The unit can be a:

Generally, is a detailed study of one individual or thing

Case studies are particularly useful in depicting a holistic portrayal of a client's experiences and results regarding a program. For example, to evaluate the effectiveness of a program's processes, including its strengths and weaknesses, evaluators might develop cases studies on the program's successes and failures. Case studies are used to organize a wide range of information about a case and then analyze the contents by seeking patterns and themes in the data, and by further analysis through cross comparison with other cases. A case can be individuals, programs, or any unit, depending on what the program evaluators want to examine through in-depth analysis and comparison.

Developing a Case Study

1. All data about the case is gathered.

For example, if the study is to highlight a program's failure with a client, data would be collected about the program, its processes and the client. Data could result from a combination of methods, including ...