Pol soc 360_01_qualitative_methods

1. POL / SOC 360-01
Spring 2015

4.  Focus on Social Life & Participant Experiences
 Emphasis on Exploratory Questions
 Use of Inductive Reasoning
 Flexible Research Design
 Researcher Subjectivity

6.  Case Studies
 Ethnography
 Netnography

8.  Social science research is rooted in some kind
of observational technique
 We collect data in this way everyday
 Examples?

9.  Direct vs. Indirect
 Participant vs. Nonparticipant
 Overt vs. Covert
 Structured vs. Unstructured

10.  Direct Observation
 Directly observing behaviors among individuals,
groups, or societies
 Observation can be structured or unstructured
 Indirect Observation
 Indirectly observing behaviors among individuals
groups, or societies

11.  Participant Observation
 Investigator is both actor and spectator
 Regular participant in the activities being observed
 Example: Studying Campaigns; Social Problems
 Nonparticipant Observation
 Observer does not participate in group’s activities
or become a member of the group or community
 Example: City Council Meetings

12.  Acceptance by group is necessary
 Use of informants
 Advantages? Disadvantages?

13. Ruth Horowitz

14. ADVANTAGES
 Natural Setting
 Opportunity to
observe for long
periods of time
 Degree of accuracy
and completeness
DISADVANTAGES
 Many instances of
political behavior are
not accessible for
observation
 Lack of control over
the environment
 “Small-N” Problem

15.  Overt Observation
 Those being observed are aware of the investigator’s
presence and intentions
 Covert Observation
 Investigator’s presence is hidden or undisclosed
 His or her intentions are disguised
 Example: Public Restrooms and HandWashing

16.  Structured Observation
 Investigator looks for and systematically records
incidence of specific behaviors
 Unstructured Observation
 All behavior is relevant, at first, and recorded
▪ Only later, upon reflection, will investigator distinguish
between important and trivial actions

18.  Nonverbal Behavior
 Spatial Behavior
 Linguistic Behavior
 Extralingustic Behavior

19. ADVANTAGES
 ResearcherControl
 Convenience
DISADVANTAGES
 Subjects know they
are being observed

20.  People generally behave as they would
ordinarily
 Investigator is able to observe for longer
periods than would be possible in laboratory
setting

21.  “Going Native”
 Field Notes