Describe participant observation and non-participant observation, using any examples.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] participant observation: researcher watches as part of the ongoing activity;
2. [1] appears to be like the participants in social role;
3. [1] participants may or may not be aware of being observed / can be covert or overt;
4. [1] (often) allows more information from interactions;
5. [1] Interaction can give greater insight into reasons for behaviours observed;
6. [1] Piliavin et al. – the observers appeared to be passengers; (core study example)
7. [1] If an observer joins in with children's games to record their behaviour; (own example)
8. [1] Saavedra and Silverman: the researchers saw the boy performing the in vivo button tasks; (core study example)
9. [1] non-participant observation: observer not involved in situation being studied;
10. [1] uses camera / one-way mirror / distanced from social group;
11. [1] participants may or may not be aware of being observed / can be covert or overt;
12. [1] (often unobtrusive) so fewer demand characteristics;
13. [1] Observer can be objective because not involved in the emotions of the social situation of the participants;
14. [1] Bandura et al. used a one-way mirror to observe the children's aggression; (core study example)
15. [1] Milgram: observations were made through a one-way mirror; (core study example)
16. [1] Schachter and Singer's participants were being observed through a one-way mirror; (core study example)