Event sampling= recording the number of times a certain behaviour occurs in a group
Time sampling = recording behaviours in a given time frame e.g. recording every 30 seconds
Correlational analysis
Statistical analysis based on a relationship between co-variables (naturally occurring variables). Correlations measure the degree in which they co-vary.
The range of correlations – correlation co-efficient – ranges from -1 to +1 depending on the strength and direction of the relationship.
- + Used when experiment is unethical/impractical
- + Used to suggest areas worthy of further study
- + Establish the strength and direction of the relationship between variables
- – Cannot be used to establish causal relationship
- – Only useful if looking for linear relationship
Context analysis: identifying themes or codes within data and counting the frequency within the data set
Procedure of content analysis
- All data needs to be read/looked at
- Researchers need to come up with operationalised categories/themes
- Should be done by 2 researchers (inter observer reliability)
- Conduct a pilot study on a small sample to test appropriateness of codes
- Rewrite codes/themes if necessary
- Analyse all data by counting up number of times each code/theme occurs
Case studies
In depth investigation of one person or small group
- + High levels of validity as in-depth and give insight
- + allow researchers to study events that they could not practically/ethically manipulate
- – small samples = difficult to generalise
- – researcher becomes too involved = lose their objectivity and may misinterpret or influence outcomes
- – difficult to establish cause and effect as often after the event