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Naturalistic observation is a research method used in psychology and behavioral and social sciences, among others, that consists of observing the behavior of individuals in their natural environments. Unlike laboratory experiments in which hypotheses are tested, variables controlled, and measurements taken, naturalistic observation involves recording what is observed in a specific context.
Advantages of the method
Naturalistic observation is advantageous considering that the observed behaviors become genuine data, since they were obtained in the contexts in which they arise naturally. This authenticity is also achieved, taking into account that natural environments are not fully replicable in the laboratory.
Another positive aspect of the method is that it can be carried out without the intervention or mediation of the observer in the events that occur naturally, which increases the veracity of the data; also that it is applicable in any type of social or organizational environment and that it generates new ideas, solutions to hypotheses or specific research paths.
Limitations of the method
Naturalistic observation has generated different discussions about its objectivity, given two factors, mainly the presence of the observer and his attitude towards what is observed.
Regarding the first factor, it has been argued that the presence of an observer in a context in which certain behaviors are examined cannot go unnoticed by the study subjects. Therefore, the observer can, without intending to, modify the spontaneous results that would arise in his absence. A solution that has been postulated by different authors is to hide the reason behind the observation, which would ensure reliable results. However, later evidence shows that withholding information can lead those observed to feel insecure or mistrustful.
Regarding the second factor, there have been controversies about whether what is best in naturalistic observation is an active or passive attitude of the observer. The tendency has been passivity, taking into account that this would interfere less in the behavior of those observed. However, the evidence has refuted the above, which has raised the need to establish practices in which the study subjects feel familiar with the observer, whose presence must be active, through habituation.
Method reliability
Due to the aforementioned limitations, various investigations carried out with the naturalistic observation method face the problem of reliability, which has been understood in multiple ways, which can lead to wrong interpretations. Therefore, authors such as Smith and Connolly (1972) have postulated that, in the first instance, it is necessary to determine what reliability is within the method and then establish how it is achieved . In this sense, they state that reliability, or trustworthiness, depends on three factors: The consistency with which the observed behavior is recorded by the observer, the stability of the observed behavior, and the adequacy of the sample.
However, in order to obtain information that meets the previous reliability criteria, measures such as the percentage of agreements have been designed, which establishes the degree to which observers use the same recognition threshold for a particular behavior. This and other measures of the method are obtained through different sampling techniques.
Techniques used in the method
In general, naturalistic observation is based on measuring the frequency of behaviors and evaluating their sequence. For this, event or time sampling can be done.
- Event sampling consists of measuring events each time they occur during a pre-established period, taking the behavior as the unit of measurement, not its duration. This type of sampling is considered to have inherent validity, since events are observed as they occur. However, if the observed behaviors lack clear boundaries, the difficulty of reaching agreement among observers increases. This type of sampling is evidenced, for example, in a study on the behavior of children in the park. In this case, the researchers may only be interested in observing how the children decide to take turns on the slide, ignoring all the other events that occur in the park.
- Time sampling consists of observing defined behaviors for brief periods and recording their manifestation or absence during each of these periods. This type of sampling is evidenced, for example, when researchers decide to observe the study subjects every morning for one hour. Sampling by time can be momentary , if certain previously defined behaviors are recorded at the time they occur, or by intervals , if behaviors, also predefined, are observed at regular intervals of time.
Sources
Kotliarenco, M., Méndez, B. Looking Back at Us: The Naturalistic Method of Observation . UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (Chile). 1998.
