“Participant observation is the most effective tool for collecting facts.” Comment. (UPSC CSE Mains 2016 - Sociology, Paper 1)
- In this method, the observer himself participates in the activities of the group which he is studying. Because of the participation of the observer this is knows as participant observation. It is not necessary for the observer to identity himself with the group or actively take part in all the acts. But he has to be physically. Present while the members of the group perform their activities. Generally, participant observation is kind of uncontrolled observation, in which the researcher may or may not reveal his identity.
- This methods allows observation of the individual‟s behavior in the most natural condition secondly, the researcher has access to a body of information which would not have been easily obtained by observer as an outsider. Researcher has the privilege of being part of the group. He gets to share the feelings, emotions & behavior of the group. He gets to share the feelings, emotions & behavior of the group members (subjects) & thus records it more accurately. He is able to see not only the actions or behavior of the people but is also able to know why & under what give situation subjects act or behave in a given manner. Because the context within which things occur is dearer indeed observation of this type is much more meaningful.
- Participant observation also allows the researcher to check the truth of statements made by the members of the group. Participant observation though is an effective method of data collection, it has its own limitations with greater degree of participation, the observer is likely to develop close relationship with other members of the group. This can kill investigator‟s ability in the group to the extend that he may forget observe certain relevant aspects of human behavior. Affiliation with the group can also make the researcher bias or partial towards a particular subgroup therefore hammering scientific accuracy.
- In a participant observation, researcher is forced to occupy a particular position. This limits the scope of the observer to study the phenomenon fully moreover, if the researcher comes to occupy and strategic position in a group, he generally end up bringing about changes in group dynamics therefore bullying the purpose of data collection.
- Greatest difficulty in participant observation method is in recording the observed facts. If he records at the spot, be kills the neutrality of the situation .if he records later on, be may forget many things. If be is working in disguise, he has to very careful about his own activities.
- Several sociologists & anthropologists have used this method to collect data. Nets Anderson‟s study of hobos, Serif‟s study of the psychology of social norms, Land‟s two surveys of middle town .john dullard‟s studies in the southern states, Warner‟s & hunt‟s study of Yankee city are some famous examples.
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