Observational Studies and Coding - Essay Example

Observational Studies and Coding Background information This study would be conducted to understand the behaviors of individuals who walk along a busy road alone. It attempts to identify the types of behaviors people practice while they attempt to reach some destination. For the purpose of this study, it was decided that different locations along the 5th Ave. in Manhattan should be used. The researcher spent 30 minutes in each of three locations – just outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, at the Times Square intersection, and between the 52nd and the 53rd street.

At each of these locations, the behavior of women walking by alone (without any company) was observed. People who were with another person / in or part of a group were not considered. This was because the researcher wanted to see how women conduct themselves when alone in highly public places. Acknowledged or Unacknowledged observer and whyThe observer was an unacknowledged observer, as there was no interaction with the people being studied (Stangor, 2010). The observer stood unobtrusively to one side, and was mostly passed by without acknowledgement by the subjects.

Describe and explain the types of behavior coded and the information on the coding sheet.The coding sheet contains the frequency with which women who were walking alone were observed doing one of six different behaviors – Looking straight ahead, looking down, Speaking on a phone, texting while walking, observing the things around them (like buildings, shops, and people), and eating or drinking something. If the observer spotted someone indulging in more than one of these behaviors simultaneously; they were recorded under multiple.

The observer chose to record 30 instances from each location on a first come basis. The total number of instances was kept consistent so that any attempt at analysis would be facilitated. Coding SheetBehavior when walkingLooking straight aheadLooking downSpeaking on phoneTextingObserving surroundingConsuming food / drinkMultipleLocationOutside Museum4574523Intersection7453641Between 52nd and 53rd streets.4253943References:Kerlinger, F.N. (1986).  Foundations of behavioral research, Orlando, FL: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.

Stangor, C. (2010). Naturalistic methods. Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences (4th ed.). Pp. 127 – 139. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Snodgrass, J.G, Levy-Berger, G. and Haydon M. (1985). .Human experimental psychology. Oxford university press. New York. USA. Print.