Descriptive Research

Methods
Presented By: Nida Naeem
Advance Research Method-1
Semester 1, Fall 2019
 Course Instructor: Dr Zarghuna Naseem
Assistant Lecturer, Lahore Garisson University.
Course Code: APSY711
Credit Hours: 3
Email: [email protected]
 Objectives of Topic
The objective is to know what is descriptive research and how we
can conduct a descriptive research methods.
 Preamble
• In previous lecture, we studied qualitative techniques for research.
• We should have to keep these techniques in our mind while
conducting a research.
 Table Of Content
Descriptive Research Methods
Definition
Sampling Behavior
Time Sampling
Situation Sampling
Observational Methods
Direct Observational Methods
Observation without Intervention
Observation with Intervention
Indirect (unobtrusive) observational methods
Physical Traces
Archival Records
 Descriptive Research Methods
• Also known as statistical research
• describes data and characteristics about the population or
phenomenon to describe “what exists” with respect to conditions in a
situation
• the questions who, what, where, when and how
• What have been the reactions of school administrators to
technological innovations in teaching the social sciences?
 Sampling Behavior
• is the study of social behavior, refers to the observation sessions
during a specified time frame, with or without the subject's
knowledge.
•When a complete record of behavior cannot be obtained, researchers
seek to obtain a representative sample of behavior.
• Representative samples is that they are “like” the larger population
from which they are drawn.
 Sampling Behavior
• The extent to which observations may be generalized (external
validity) depends on how behavior is sampled.
• results of a research study can be generalized to different populations,
settings, and conditions.
• describe how time, event, and situation sampling are used to enhance
the external validity of observational findings. For example,
observations made of classroom behavior at the beginning of a school
year may be representative of behavior early in the school year, but
may not yield results that are typical of behavior seen at the end of the
school year.
 Time Sampling
• Time sampling refers to researchers choosing time intervals for
making observations either systematically or randomly.
• When researchers are interested in events that happen infrequently,
they rely on event sampling to sample behavior.
 Situation sampling
• Situation sampling involves studying behavior in different locations
and under different circumstances and conditions.
• Situation sampling enhances the external validity of findings.
• Within situations, subject sampling may be used to observe some
people in the setting.
Example of Situation Sampling
• For example, animals do not behave the same way in zoos as they do
in the wild or, it seems, in different locales.
 Observational Methods
• Observational methods can be classified as
• Direct observation or
• Indirect observation
 Direct Observational Methods
• Direct observational methods can be classified as
• observation without intervention or
• observation with intervention
 Observation without intervention
• also known as the Naturalistic Observation
• The goals of naturalistic observation are to describe behavior as it
normally occurs and to examine relationships among variables.
• Naturalistic observation helps to establish the external validity of
laboratory findings.
• When ethical and moral considerations prevent experimental control,
naturalistic observation is an important research strategy.
 Observation with intervention
• Most psychological research uses observation with intervention.
• The three methods of observation with intervention are participant
observation, structured observation, and the field experiment.
• If individuals change their behavior when they know they are being
observed (“reactivity”), their behavior may no longer be
representative of their normal behavior.
 Participant Observation
• observe people’s behavior and participate actively in the situation
they are observing.
• In undisguised participant observation, individuals who are being
observed know that the observer is present for the purpose of
collecting information about their behavior.
• In disguised participant observation, those who are being observed
do not know that they are being observed. As you might imagine,
people do not al-ways behave in the way they ordinarily would when
they know their behavior is being recorded.
 Structured Observation
• researchers intervene to exert some control over the events they are
observing. The degree of intervention and control over events is less.
labeled these procedures structured observation.
• Often the observer intervenes in order to cause an event to occur or
to “set up” a situation so that events can be more easily recorded.
 Fields Experiments
• When a researcher manipulates one or more independent variables in
a natural setting in order to determine the effect on behavior, the
procedure is called a field experiment.
 Indirect Observational Method
• An important advantage of indirect observational methods is that
they are nonreactive.
• Indirect observations can be obtained by examining physical traces
and archival records.
Physical Traces Archival Records
1.Use traces: physical evidence that results from the use (or nonuse) of 1.Running records: public and private documents that are produced
an item continuously

Examples: cans in a recycling bin, pages highlighted in a textbook, Examples: records for sports teams, Facebook and Twitter entries
wear and tear on video game controllers

Products: creations, constructions, or other artifacts of behavior Records for specific episodes: documents that describe specific events

Examples: petroglyphs (ancient rock paintings), MTV, Harry Potter Examples: birth certificates, marriage licenses, college degrees
action figures
Any Questions
 References
• John_j_shaughnessy_eugene_b_zechmeister_jeanne_s_zechmeister_re
search_methods_in_psychology
• https://www.slideshare.net/jackomar/descriptive-research-22678681