Participant Observation Report

“People Watching”
Participant Observation Activity
Questions and Assignment Description
You may observe people in any public place where there are a lot of people. Please observe for at least 30 minutes. Some examples include: malls, plazas, parking lots, campuses, gas stations, office buildings, restaurants, or anywhere else that’s public. During the observation session, write down your notes (see questions below), and then after the session write up a one page reaction paper to your experience. See further description below.
Why do participant observation?
Why not just interview or “talk” to the people to get questions answered?
· to gather information on an existing system,
· to avoid the discrepancy between what people say and what they actually do,
· when people
may not be aware of certain behavior that, therefore, will not be uncovered by questioning or interviewing,
· to reduce data gathering time that may be necessary to uncover processes that would otherwise require multiple interviews,
· to avoid relying on verbal descriptions. A person's description may not provide a true picture of the process. For example, a person describing a problem with the system may not recognize the importance of or not mention an error message that would help pinpoint the problem. Only by observing the problem, will you see the error message.
OK, So now what? How do we begin?
What do we “think” about while we’re people watching?
PREPARE FOR THE OBSERVATION
Develop a *set of questions* to ask yourself and answer WHILE you’re observing (without actually interacting with the people being observed)
See below for specific questions to address for this project.
Select Participants to Observe
Select 5-10 different people or groups of people to observe during this time period. We will also be moving locations (at least three in the mall) and see if that changes people’s behaviour.
Determine Type of Observation We will be administering “Hands-off observation” -- In this type of observation, the analyst does no role playing. Sometimes the analyst is unable to perform the participant's role due to lack of knowledge or expertise. By directly observing the participant performing his or her role (for example, a train dispatcher), the analyst can still ask questions and gather information on job requirements. Other situations may require the analyst to observe the participant without being in the way. This requires that the analyst watches the participant "through glass," observing without interrupting the participant's routine. For example, this type of hands-off observation would be applicable to observing an air traffic controller who cannot stop or suspend actions while performing his or her role.
Observe Interaction with Others
Plan to observe a participant's interaction with other members of a group or groups. Remember this is not limited to who the participant is walking/shopping/eating with. You can observe how the participant interacts with the customer service reps, other customers in the Mall, the food prep staff, or even the security officers. Be creative when choosing your participants and with whom they interact.
CONDUCT THE OBSERVATION
Take Notes
Do not rely on your memory after the observation. Take notes as you observe participant's actions and behaviour. Your notes should be complete, accurate, and detailed. Please follow this format and answer the questions below:
Record notes during each observation, noting:
· date and time of the observation,
· location of the observation,
· participants involved.
When recording dialogue, strive for accuracy. It is not necessary to reproduce dialogue word for word. If you cannot recall the exact wording of a conversation, do not use quotation marks.
Ask YOURSELF these Questions:
What is their language competency level? Do they have an accent? What words do they use around their peers versus around strangers?
How are they dressed?
What are their mannerisms? Is it different because of their gender? How do they “flirt” or communicate with each other? Can you “tell” that they are a certain gender or sexuality based on their dress and mannerisms alone?
What social class do you assume your participants are? How can you “tell” that they are upper, middle, or lower class? Describe their dress and mannerisms?
Does their language, mannerisms, or dress change because of their race? How much does their race effect who they’re with, how they speak, where they shop? Or does it?
Are the younger participants more socialized to behave differently, shop at different places, use different language, because of their age? What is the purpose of younger versus older people shopping? Or are they the same reasons?
What other social factors influence people’s behaviour? Would their behavior change if they knew they were being observed for a sociology class? Why or why not? Remember: You are Only There to Observe
Do not assist the participant with his or her tasks. You are only there to observe.
Do not interfere with the participant's tasks by offering suggestions on
improvements.
As the observer, you may gather information from a number of different groups of people. Keep gathered information confidential, whether opinions or facts.
So now what?
After you have recorded all your observations (including answering the above questions), write up a one page REACTION paper. Instead of detailed WHAT you observed or WHAT people said (as many of you did in the interview), discuss WHY you think these people are SOCIALIZED to behave these certain ways based on their race, class, gender, religion, age, or any other factors.
HAND IN BOTH YOUR NOTES AND THE ONE PAGE REACTION PAPER TO THE ASSIGNMENTS FOLDER.