The Pros and Cons of Participant Observation or Surveys as a Research Method

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Introduction

In our daily activities as humans, we consciously and unconsciously observe what people do around us, how they do it, and sometimes ask why they do what they do. In so doing we gain a better understanding of their ways of life. Anthropologist and sociologist too mention but a few, professions employ the daily observations we engage in as humans in a methodology called participant observation. Dewalt and Dewalt (2002:1) define participant observation as “a method in which a researcher takes part in the daily activities, events, rituals and interactions, of a group of people as one of the means of learning the explicit and tacit aspects of their life routine and culture.” Participant observation can be carried out in roles that reveal or hide the identity of the researcher (i.e. covert or overt roles) in four different capacities namely complete participant, participant as observer, observer as participant, complete observer Bryman (2004). These capacities all have their merits and demerits. However, for the purpose of this essay participant observation would be discussed holistically devoid of the various roles. This is due to limitation on words. This essay discusses the merits and weaknesses of participant observation, arguing that the weaknesses are inherent in the merits and as such the merits outweigh the weaknesses and concludes with ethical discussions on participant observation.

Merits and weakenesses.

Participant observation has been lauded as an excellent technique for dealing with various complex socio-cultural phenomena suggests Jorgensen (1989) and Robson (2011).Similarly Tedlock (1991) also posits that the expectations on participant observation as a research methodology are high as it is expected t...

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...esearch: a resource for users of social research methods in applied settings, 3rd ed Oxford, Blackwell publishers. PP 315-344

Schwartz M.S and Schwartz C.G, 1955. Problems in Participant Observation. American Journal of Sociology Vol. 60, No.4 pp 251-255

Scheper-Hughes N, 1995. The Primacy of the Ethical: Propositions for a Militant Anthropology.Current Anthropology Vol. 36, No, 3 pp 409-440

Tedlock B, 1991, Participant Observation to the Observation of Participation: The Emergence of Narrative Ethnography. Journal of Anthropological Research, Vol. 47, No 1, pp. 69-94

Vidich J A., 1955. Participant Observation and the Collection and interpretation of Data. American Journal of Sociology.Vol.60, No.4, pp. 354-360

Vidich J.A and Shapiro Gilbert, 1955. A Comparison of Participant Observation and Survey Data. American Sociological Review vol.20, No 1, pp 28-33

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