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AQA GCSE · Question 07 · Sociological Research Methods
Identify and explain one disadvantage of using overt observation to study anti-social behaviour amongst young people.
Identify and explain one disadvantage of using overt observation to study anti-social behaviour amongst young people.
How to approach this question
First, identify a key disadvantage of overt observation (e.g., Hawthorne Effect, lack of access). Then, explain what this disadvantage means in general terms. Finally, apply it specifically to the context of studying anti-social behaviour in young people, explaining why it would be a problem in that scenario.
Full Answer
One disadvantage is the Hawthorne Effect. Because the young people know they are being observed, they may change their behaviour to appear more socially acceptable or to play up to the researcher. This means the researcher would not be observing their natural, authentic anti-social behaviour. As a result, the data collected would lack validity, as it does not reflect the reality of the group's actions when they are not being watched.
Overt observation is a research method where the researcher is open about their intentions and the group being studied is aware they are being observed. While it is more ethical than covert observation, it suffers from the major drawback of the Hawthorne Effect (or observer effect). This is where the presence of the researcher influences the behaviour of the participants, leading them to act unnaturally. This severely undermines the validity of the findings, as the sociologist is not seeing a true picture of the social reality they are trying to study.
Common mistakes
Confusing overt with covert observation, or listing a disadvantage of observation in general (e.g., 'it's time-consuming') without explaining why it's a particular problem for *overt* observation of this specific topic.
Practice the full AQA GCSE Sociology Paper 2
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