Objective 4
Describe what
constitutes valid and reliable observation especially with regards to
operationalizing variables, experimenter bias, demand characteristics, and
unobtrusive measures.
Explanation:
Observations are really important in psychology. In order for people to understand human behavior they first have to observe it. A valid and reliable observation should be free of experimenter bias. Experimenter bias is when the researcher doing an experiment influences the results so that they can show a certain outcome. It can happen when the expectation of the experiment is told to the person participating in the experiment or when there are experimental errors. Operationalizing variables are used so every one is on the same page. If you asked people how tired they were, they would all have different interpretations of tiredness, but if you used hours without sleep everyone would be on the same page. Demand characteristics are cues that make participants aware of what the experimenter expects to find or how participants are expected to behave. Demand characteristics can change the outcome of an experiment because participants will alter their behavior to conform to the experimenter's expectations. Unobtrusive measures is a method of making observations without people knowing they are being observed. They decrease bias from the researcher and from the person being observed.
Observations are really important in psychology. In order for people to understand human behavior they first have to observe it. A valid and reliable observation should be free of experimenter bias. Experimenter bias is when the researcher doing an experiment influences the results so that they can show a certain outcome. It can happen when the expectation of the experiment is told to the person participating in the experiment or when there are experimental errors. Operationalizing variables are used so every one is on the same page. If you asked people how tired they were, they would all have different interpretations of tiredness, but if you used hours without sleep everyone would be on the same page. Demand characteristics are cues that make participants aware of what the experimenter expects to find or how participants are expected to behave. Demand characteristics can change the outcome of an experiment because participants will alter their behavior to conform to the experimenter's expectations. Unobtrusive measures is a method of making observations without people knowing they are being observed. They decrease bias from the researcher and from the person being observed.
Example:
This website, http://psychology.about.com/od/dindex/g/demanchar.htm, tells more about demand characteristics. It tells some ways that research's can get rid of them like deception or a double-blind study.
This website, http://psychology.about.com/od/dindex/g/demanchar.htm, tells more about demand characteristics. It tells some ways that research's can get rid of them like deception or a double-blind study.
Example:
The picture below shows how bias works. The guy on the right is bias. He knows what he wants to get for results, so he is going to make an experiment to support the results he wants to get. The guy on the right is free from bias. He did an experiment and is going to draw conclusions from his observations. Good observations are free from bias.
The picture below shows how bias works. The guy on the right is bias. He knows what he wants to get for results, so he is going to make an experiment to support the results he wants to get. The guy on the right is free from bias. He did an experiment and is going to draw conclusions from his observations. Good observations are free from bias.