Elevator Observation - Research Paper Example

? Elevator Observation Task: Elevator Observation Introduction What is observation? The word observation has several meanings. Observation is recording of data by a scientific instrument, or it is an activity of a living being consists of receiving knowledge from the outside world via its senses. However, observation can also be an act of noticing or an act entailing attentively. Observation is the habit of noticing or the act of noting and recording something. By this, one can strongly say that observing is the act of noting and recording something after a keen study. Keen observations are necessary in different parts or field of working. For example, a teacher needs to observe the growth of his/her students or a doctor needs to observe the progress of his/her patient. By so doing, they are able to gauge what to do next on the patient or students. They are able to know, if they are taking an excellent turn in terms of recovering and performance or a wrong turn that needs more attention and help (Ellis, 2007). Additionally, observation is an important aspect in the world we live in. With keen observation, we are able to make wise decisions that will be of much help to us. However, observation is the key ingredient of making wise and reasonable decisions; it also helps in coming up with good ideas, be it socially or businesswise. Observation helps a person make evident conclusions concerning different issues in life. This is because it influences the kinds of conclusion people make in a part of lives, whether good or bad. On the other hand, if one makes a wrong observation, then he/she is able to make the wrong conclusions about an issue or matter depending on the kind of the observation. In addition, it is good to pay keen attention to whatever one is observing in order to make the right conclusions or decisions on the issue or matter concerned. This is to avoid making quick judgments, decisions or conclusions that have no basis. Additionally, many brilliant or prosperous people, at one point of their lives, made a keen observation and were able to come up with wise ideas that helped the world as a whole (Ellis, 2007). Without observation, many things would not have prospered in many countries. However, this shows us how observation is important in our lives and the world as a whole. What is participant observation? Participant observation is a type of research mostly used in cultural anthropology. However, its interest is to gain intimate familiarity with a given group of individuals or people for a given time or period during a certain activity. The observer, in this case, has to participate or play a role amongst the group of people that he/she is observing. By this, the observer is able to create an intimate relationship with the group of people or individuals, and this will help him in his observation because he/she will not feel like a stranger during the observation process. Familiarity between the observer and the group of people or individuals grows with time. This helps in the efficient communication between the observer and the group of individuals or people. In addition, this makes it easier for the observer to ask questions easily and the group of people or individuals to an answer without hesitation (Ellis, 2007). However, the chances of the group of people or individuals answering falsely to the questions asked are very few. This is due to the good relationship created between the observer and the group of people or individuals. On the other hand, the key principle of this observation is not for the observer to observe, but to find a role to play and identify with among the group of people or individuals. However, this kind of observation is necessary where the group of people or individuals do not want an association with anyone who is not of their own. For example, many organizations and criminal entities do not want any kind of study on them or observations. In this case, observers tend to pose like one of their own in order to get the necessary information they are looking for. This is participant observation. The observers play a role in posing as one of them. This is an important aspect in observation, as it helps in getting or acquiring information that will help or is destined to help a country or people (Ellis, 2007). However, many security persons use this kind of observation in order to fight their enemies or acquire information that they can use against their enemies. However, if the vise versa gets to happen, then wrong things tend to happen. Advantages they offer during data collecting This kind of data collection has many advantages compared to other types of data collection. However, they also have disadvantages or negatives. However, information provided by this kind of observation is more reliable as compared to many kinds of observations. This is because; the observer also plays a major or minor role as a member of the group of people or individuals he/she is observing. This is because; the observer is able to see what takes place by this, he/she is able to record the exact things that are taking place in the field (Ellis, 2007). On the other hand, it is cost effective in terms of money spending. It is less expensive as compared to other observation techniques. This is because, the observer is likely to get all the kind of information he/she is looking for, in that one particular field. In addition, the analyst is able to see what takes place, as compared to other observation techniques used. This one allows the analyst to make wise judgment on what he/she wanted to know about the group of people or the individuals. On the other hand, this is a practical way of making sure that the analyst or observer gets the right information that he/she is looking for by him/her participating or playing a role among the group of people or individuals. Additionally, this kind of observation allows the observer or system analysts to do work measurement. The observer is able to measure what is important for his/her research on that particular group of people or individuals. On the other hand, the observer is able to discard non-useful information that will not help in his/her research. This kind of observation is generally useful in areas were outcast (people who are not members of the group or do not come from the same regions) are not allowed to gather information or get to interact with a specific kind of people. Elevator ride and behavior in Harper Professional Building Around 5800 elevators in the USA are in use daily; more than 10,000 people use elevators every day in their daily business or lives. They are part of people’s livelihood in many developed countries. This is because they reduce time wastage on the staircases every single day. They also make the people’s work easier, knowing that they do not have to use the staircases on a daily basis. Modernized elevators help the handicapped people in getting to different floors of the building with ease. Elevators come in handy while lifting heavy or very heavy loads up to different floors. It takes lesser energy for a person to use an elevator while dealing with heavy loads as compared to the staircase (Ellis, 2007). This helps in easier movement of loads to different floors of the same building. Additionally, there are so many advantages of using elevators than their disadvantages. However, if the elevator is crowded, many people stare at the floor, the ceiling and even the button panel, as if they are in it the first time. This shows that people are very much concerned about their own safety. This is because, in horror movies, many people get murdered in a closed space, the elevator being one of the most dangerous places, although in the real the real life it may not occur. This instills an aspect of fear in many people who would wish to take the elevator. In addition, when two people (strangers in this case) take an elevator they stand as far as possible from each other. This two people do not see eye to eye nor speak, they do not make unnecessary noises in the elevator. During the lifting process of the elevator, they are usually very silent. Additionally, this is a weird take because an elevator should be a place like any other, where people do not fear whether they are two, alone or very many (Ellis, 2007). People’s behaviors in elevators are not because of their rational thinking, but because of an instinctive response to a situation or an automatic response to a given situation. This is because, the threat of aggression in our minds is not real at all or any given time but our brains or minds act as if they are, and by this, they produce behaviors meant to protect our bodies. Additionally, these awkward things happen in the elevator because it mostly consists of strangers, at any one time. In conclusion Observation is an important aspect in learning and our day-to-day activities. However, observation helps us to know and learn our environment better. On the other hand, participant observation used to generate much better results in terms or research. This is because the observer or researcher plays a role or poses as one of the members of the group that is being observed or as an individual. Additionally, elevators make work easier in all aspects but as much as they do, many people act weirdly when in elevators. This is because, at many times the elevators constitutes of strangers and many people feel unsafe near strangers. References Ellis, A. (2007). Overcoming resistance: a rational emotive behavior therapy integrated approach. New York, NY: Springer Publishing. Read More