Overview
This lecture covers non-experimental research designs in social science, detailing their types, methodologies, strengths, weaknesses, and practical considerations, with emphasis on observation, archival research, case studies, and content analysis.
Experimental vs. Non-Experimental Research
- Non-experimental research is characterized by lack of manipulation or assignment; researchers only observe variables.
- Experimental research involves manipulating variables and assigning participants to conditions, enabling stronger causal inferences.
- Non-experimental designs are common in social science due to practical and ethical limitations.
Types of Non-Experimental Research
- Observational Research: Researchers observe ongoing behavior without influencing it; includes naturalistic and participant observation.
- Archival Research: Uses pre-existing records or data sets to address research questions.
- Case Studies: Intensive examinations of single individuals, groups, or events; not easily generalizable.
- Surveys: Utilizes questionnaires and sampling to estimate characteristics or opinions within a population.
Observational Methods and Issues
- Naturalistic Observation: Observes behavior in natural environments, aiming to be unobtrusive and nonreactive.
- Participant Observer Research: Researcher joins the group being studied, risking loss of objectivity and raising ethical concerns about privacy and consent.
- Researchers must avoid influencing behavior and confounding data collection.
Case Studies and Their Characteristics
- Focus on a single case or a small group in real-life context.
- Useful for in-depth analysis but hard to generalize due to lack of standardization and potential confounds.
Archival Research Considerations
- Utilizes existing data, often collected for non-scientific purposes.
- Potential biases include incomplete or unrepresentative data (e.g., under-reporting).
- Useful for sensitive or impractical-to-study phenomena.
Content Analysis
- Involves coding and analyzing textual or media content.
- Manifest Content: Counts objective features (e.g., word frequency).
- Latent Content: Interprets underlying themes, subject to subjectivity.
- Reliability is improved by employing multiple coders and assessing inter-rater reliability.
Field Notes & Procedures
- Field notes should be systematic, detailed, and as contemporaneous as possible; use audio/visual recording where appropriate.
- Be selective in observation and focus on defined behaviors.
- Protocols and pilot studies help refine data collection procedures.
- Data integrity is crucial—keep data secure, organized, and backed up.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Non-experimental research — Research with no variable manipulation; relies on observation, not assignment.
- Naturalistic observation — Observing behavior in its natural context without interference.
- Participant observer — Researcher becomes part of the group to observe from within.
- Archival research — Analyzing existing records or data sets not collected by the researcher.
- Case study — Intensive, in-depth analysis of a specific entity or event.
- Surveys — Collecting self-reported data via questionnaires from a sample of a population.
- Content analysis — Systematic analysis of texts or media to identify patterns or themes.
- Manifest content — Observable, countable elements in content.
- Latent content — Underlying meanings or themes in content.
- Inter-rater reliability — Consistency between different coders' analyses.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Complete and post responses to weekly discussion questions by the standard due dates.
- Contact the instructor via Canvas with any questions or concerns.