What type of research is naturalistic?

What type of research is naturalistic?

Naturalistic observation, sometimes referred to as fieldwork, is a research methodology in numerous fields of science including ethology, anthropology, linguistics, the social sciences, and psychology, in which data are collected as they occur in nature, without any manipulation by the observer. Examples range from watching an animal's eating patterns in the forest to observing the behavior of students in a school setting.[1][2][3][4][5] During naturalistic observation, researchers take great care using unobtrusive methods to avoid interfering with the behavior they are observing.[6] Naturalistic observation contrasts with analog observation in an artificial setting that is designed to be an analog of the natural situation, constrained so as to eliminate or control for effects of any variables other than those of interest. There is similarity to observational studies in which the independent variable of interest cannot be experimentally controlled for ethical or logistical reasons.[7]

Naturalistic observation has both advantages and disadvantages as a research methodology. Observations are more credible because the behavior occurs in a real, typical scenario as opposed to an artificial one generated within a lab.[6][5] Behavior that could never occur in controlled laboratory environment can lead to new insights.[5] Naturalistic observation also allows for study of events that are deemed unethical to study experimentally, such as the impact of high school shootings on students attending the high school.[6][5] However, because extraneous variables cannot be controlled as in a laboratory, it is difficult to replicate findings and demonstrate their reliability. In particular, if subjects know they are being observed they may behave differently than otherwise. It may be difficult to generalize findings of naturalistic studies beyond the observed situations.[5]

See also[edit]

  • Jane Goodall
  • Observer-expectancy effect
  • People watching
  • Scholar-practitioner model
  • Qualitative research
  • Unobtrusive measures
  • Natural history

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Naturalistic Observation". peace.saumag.edu. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  2. ^ Cherry, Kendra. "What Is Naturalistic Observation?". About.com. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  3. ^ "Psychology 202Q Lab: Naturalistic Observation" (PDF). University of Connecticut. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  4. ^ "naturalistic observation". APA Dictionary of Psychology. American Psychological Association. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  5. ^ a b c d e Vinney, Cynthia (November 30, 2019). "What Is Naturalistic Observation? Definition and Examples". ThoughtCo. Dotdash. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  6. ^ a b c "Naturalistic Observation" (PDF). radford.edu. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  7. ^ McLeod, Saul A. (6 June 2015). "Observation Methods". Simply Psychology. Retrieved 2021-02-19.

Naturalistic study: A type of study in which the researcher very carefully observes and records some behavior or phenomenon, sometimes over a prolonged period, in its natural setting while interfering as little as possible with the subjects or phenomena.

In medical research, a naturalistic study usually involves observing people as they go about their normal activities. The presence of an observer obviously has an effect as one goes about one's daily activities.

What type of research is naturalistic?

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Is quantitative research naturalistic?

Naturalistic research is a method of research that aims to conduct qualitative (research that does not involve numbers) and/or quantitative (research represented by numbers) studies in such a way that researchers can make observations without impacting the results.

What is called as naturalistic study?

Naturalistic observation is a method that involves observing subjects in their natural environment. The goal is to look at behavior in a natural setting without intervention.

What is naturalistic in descriptive research?

Naturalistic observation is a type of descriptive method of reserach. In this method, researchers observe and rate real-world interactions. For example, naturalistic observation can be used to evaluate whether people spend more time washing their hands before leaving a restroom if they believe someone is watching them.

Is naturalistic observation non experimental research?

Naturalistic observation is a nonexperimental, primarily qualitative research method in which organisms are studied in their natural settings. Behaviors or other phenomena of interest are observed and recorded by the researcher, whose presence might be either known or unknown to the subjects.