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Unit-19: Observation Method

maximum part of it has been acquired through uncontrolled observation, whether it is participant notes
or non-participant”. With this statement, importance and usefulness of uncontrolled observation is
expressed itself.
Understanding the meaning of uncontrolled observation, P.V. Young has written “in uncontrolled
observation, we carefully investigate circumstances related to actual life , in which there is no effort
made towards the use of incidences of accuracy and investigation of the purity of observed incidence
”this definition of Young highlights three specialities of uncontrolled observation: (i) in this method
there is no control on the observer (ii) in this observer studies the incidences and circumstances in
their natural form (iii) observer does not test the incidences, hence, it is a very easy methodology.
Based on its nature, uncontrolled observation has been divided into participant, non-participant and
semi-participant categories. Here we will discuss all the three sub-parts.

1. Participant Observation

in year 1924, Lindeman in his book “social Discovery”, had first used the word participant observation.
He attracted the attention of the people towards the disadvantages of studies done through schedules
and questionnaires and usefulness of participant observation. Lindeman has written about participant
observation, “Participant observation is based on the principle that interpretation of any incidence
can be almost clear only if it is made by joining both the external and internal points of view. in this
manner, that person’s point of view, who had participated in the incidence and whose desires and
self-interest vested in it in some or the other manner, will be practical and different from a person’s
point of who , instead of being a participant is, merely a viewer or an investigator”.

Task What do you understand from participant observation? Explain.

Meaning and Definition of Participant Observation

for participant observation, observer goes and lives in that group or community, whose social
incidences he wants to study. He participates in people’s daily and all other activities and also
investigates them. in this the group’s people accept the observer and start considering him to be their
member. in this manner, observer temporarily becomes an internal person of the group.
Defining participant observation, Godey and Haute has written “this practice is used at such a time
when the observer hides himself in such a manner that he is accepted as a member of the group.”
As per P.V. Young, “participant observer using uncontrolled observation, generally lives and
participates in the group he is studying.”
As per Lundeberg, “observer establishes possible complete intimate relation with that group, meaning
that he settles in the group and participates in their daily activities.”
forcase and richer have written, “through participant observation, researcher becomes a member of
the group being studied. the primary belief behind doing this is that he is able to know the properties
of the group closely, which is not possible by staying out of the group. ”
John Mej has written “when observer’s heart beats mingle with the heart beats of the other people of the
group and he no longer remains a stranger who has come from outside, then it should be understood
that he has acquired the right to be called a participant observer”.

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