Diagnose the methodological issue that has occurred in this scenario. Explain how the patrons' awareness of the researcher compromises the findings, and identify the specific research effect demonstrated.
Case context: A student researcher is conducting an observational study on social interactions in a local bar. Initially, the patrons are interacting naturally. However, once the patrons notice the researcher holding a clipboard and recording their behaviors, they immediately become self-conscious and begin acting much differently than usual.
Question: Diagnose the methodological issue that has occurred in this scenario. Explain how the patrons' awareness of the researcher compromises the findings, and identify the specific research effect demonstrated.
Sample answer: The methodological issue is reactivity, specifically the Hawthorne effect. Because the patrons noticed the researcher recording their behaviors, their awareness caused them to act differently than usual. This compromises the findings because the researcher is no longer observing natural behavior, which invalidates the observational study.
Key points:
- Diagnose the issue as reactivity or the Hawthorne effect.
- Explain that the patrons changed their behavior because they realized they were being monitored.
- State that the alteration of behavior invalidates the observational study.
Rubric: The response must diagnose the issue as reactivity or the Hawthorne effect. It must explain that the patrons' awareness of being monitored led them to change their usual behavior, and conclude that this invalidates the observational study's findings.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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