Short Answer

Imagine you are designing a qualitative study to observe how employees at a customer service center treat customers. Apply the methodology of Rosenhan's 1973 pseudopatient study to design your data collection: how should you operationalize the observer's role to ensure natural staff behavior, and what primary qualitative data must be gathered to mirror Rosenhan's design?

Question: Imagine you are designing a qualitative study to observe how employees at a customer service center treat customers. Apply the methodology of Rosenhan's 1973 pseudopatient study to design your data collection: how should you operationalize the observer's role to ensure natural staff behavior, and what primary qualitative data must be gathered to mirror Rosenhan's design?

Sample answer: To ensure natural staff behavior, the observers must act as 'pseudocustomers' by posing as regular clients while concealing their identities as researchers. The primary qualitative data gathered must be covert written notes of their personal interactions and experiences with the employees, along with any official transaction logs or records.

Key points:

  • Operationalizes the observer role as disguised 'pseudocustomers' to ensure natural behavior.
  • Specifies the collection of qualitative data through covert written notes of interactions.
  • Includes relevant official records or logs to mirror the original hospital records.

Feedback: The student must apply the disguised participant observation design by having observers conceal their research identities (posing as customers) and collect qualitative data in the form of covert notes of their interactions and records.

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Updated 2026-05-27

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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