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A researcher is studying pedestrian safety and decides to use structured observation at a busy intersection. Give one example of a specific, targeted action they might choose to focus on, and explain how they could quantify it to align with the method's emphasis.
Question: A researcher is studying pedestrian safety and decides to use structured observation at a busy intersection. Give one example of a specific, targeted action they might choose to focus on, and explain how they could quantify it to align with the method's emphasis.
Sample answer: The researcher might narrow their focus to the targeted action of 'pedestrians looking at a cell phone while in the crosswalk.' They could quantify this by systematically counting the total number of pedestrians who exhibit this specific behavior during a 30-minute observation period.
Key points:
- Identifies a limited, specific targeted action.
- Describes a method to systematically count, time, or quantify the action.
- Applies the quantitative emphasis of structured observation.
Rubric: The response must identify a specific, limited behavior related to pedestrian safety and describe a way to quantify it (e.g., counting occurrences or timing the duration), demonstrating an understanding of how structured observation narrows focus to collect quantitative data.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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A researcher is studying pedestrian safety and decides to use structured observation at a busy intersection. Give one example of a specific, targeted action they might choose to focus on, and explain how they could quantify it to align with the method's emphasis.