Page 154 - DSOC404_METHODOLOGY_OF_SOCIAL_RESEARCH_ENGLISH

Methodology of Social Research

notes 19.2 controlled observations
Along with development of social sciences, social research has also undergone changes. As a result of
this to overcome the demerit of uncontrolled observation, controlled observation was developed. in
controlled observation, observer keeps a control on himself or the incidence in a planned manner. He
plays the role of a link or a mediator between the actual situation and the received material. He does
the job of using the various means of data compilation. these means themselves collect the material.
Because of it, in this method there is neutrality and subjectivity and verification of facts is easy. This
method is also called planned observation, created observation or arranged observation. in controlled
observation data are collected through a decided and pre-planned scheme.

Did You Know? At present, controlled observation is used to study leadership, attack, and
labours working in factories, children of children’s home.

in controlled observation, below mentioned things are made clear- (i) units being observed are clearly
defined, (ii) selection of the facts related to observation, (iii) determination of the condition, people,
time and place of observation, (iv) writing down the schedule, (v) determining the instruments to
be used in observation like photographs, maps, schedules, films etc. Since this method saves time,
labour and money and objectivity, authenticity and credibility is maintained in the study, it is more
used in studies done in special fields.
Controlled observation is done in two ways- 1. By keeping control on the situations being observed
2. By keeping control on the observer himself.
1. control over situations—Just as in natural science, scientists do the job of bringing the physical
world’s situation under the controlled conditions of a laboratory and studying them, in the same
way social scientists also do the job of controlling and studying the social incidences under social
conditions. that is why it is also known as social experiment, though like physical sciences, study of
social incidences in a laboratory is not easy. in this method, control is applied on social incidences and
situations and any special changes and their impact is made known. for e.g. through this method,we
can study the impact of integrated rural development scheme and panchayat raj on a rural group.
With the help of this method study of tiredness, study of time and speed, study of productivity and
psychological study of children can be done.
2. control on observer—this is the second method of controlled observation in which observer,
instead of the incidence, keeps a control on him. Nature of social incidence is such that it is difficult
to keep a control on it. in such a situation observer may keep a control on himself to be saved of any
favouritism or personal influence that may come on the study. To keep a control on the observer,
instruments like interviews, schedules, tape-records, photographs, maps, regional notes, diaries,
camera, films etc. are used. Telling the importance of control on the observer, Godey and Haute have
written, “in social research, it is comparatively difficult to keep a control on the research, hence at
least the observer should keep a control on his behaviour”.
3. Mass observation—in this method of observation, research work is not done by any single person
but by a group of people. it is called mass observation. Clarifying it, sine Pao yeng has written, “Mass
observation is a mixture of controlled and uncontrolled observation. this observation is dependent
on observation of facts by other people and their scripting, though compilation of information and
their use is done by one central person”. By this definition, it is clear that (i) in mass observation,
job of observation is done by many people together (ii) in it there is a mixture of both, controlled
and uncontrolled observation (iii) there is division of work among all the observers and their jobs

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