The observation hint is a qualitative data collection tool. This means that the data obtained are characteristics and properties of the phenomenon observed.
When using indirect observation, the investigator must resort to statements and records compiled by other scholars in the area.
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This is why it is called indirect, since the researcher does not study the phenomenon by itself but is satisfied with the impressions derived from secondary sources.
That is to say, books , photos, videos, audio recordings, interviews, articles, degree works, among others.
Indirect observation does not invade the object's privacy, so its use is favored when the phenomenon is timid, susceptible, hostile or dangerous.
With the current technological advances, indirect observation has benefited. An example of this is the existence of thermal cameras, which have made it possible to record the nightlife of wild animals.
Before the creation of these cameras, it was impossible to directly observe this phenomenon without disturbing the natural behavior of the object of study.
Despite the advantages of this data collection tool, many researchers prefer the use of direct observation (if conditions permit), as this may offer more information than indirect.
Characteristics of indirect observation
1- Indirect observation is based on data collected by other researchers and recorded in books, documents, recordings, videos, newspaper articles, among others.
Interviews can also be conducted to collect the impressions of other people. In this sense, indirect observation depends to a large extent on secondary sources.
2- Because the object is not studied directly, it is a non-invasive method. For this reason, the behavior of the phenomenon will not be affected by the presence of an observer.
3- The data provided by indirect observation are qualitative. What is sought is the properties that can be perceived by the researcher through his senses.
4- It is used in descriptive research, which is the one that is in charge of studying the characteristics of a given phenomenon.
Advantages of indirect observation
1- One of the main advantages of indirect observation is that the researcher can analyze the data of other observers in the light of the contemporary situation.
For example, historical facts can be compared with current facts, allowing for novel conclusions.
2- You can analyze facts that are physically or temporarily away from the investigator. For example, you can indirectly observe the behavior of a hurricane that is thousands of miles away, as you can also study a hurricane that occurred more than a year ago.
3- It is easy to make inferences based on the studies of other people. It should be noted that the validity of these assumptions will depend both on the veracity of the data of the first observer and on the capacity of analysis of the second investigator.
4. It can also be that the researcher and the observer have different points of view, which could be of benefit.
In this sense, the researcher can interpret observer information from another perspective, shedding light on data that previous observers may have ignored.
5- On the other hand, anyone who wishes can be an indirect observer from the comfort of their home. This is thanks to the Internet and the media massive sharing of information.
6- The fact that the researcher does not need to move to study the phenomenon is favorable.
Not only does the research cost decrease considerably but also protects the physical integrity of the investigator.
Disadvantages of indirect observation
1- One of the disadvantages of indirect observation is that it may happen that the information about the phenomenon to be studied is scarce. This would be a limiting factor for the researcher.
2- When a phenomenon is observed indirectly, it is very dependent on the work of other researchers.
Let us take as an example that the first observer ignored certain relevant data. In this case, it is very possible that the work of the indirect researcher is low or low quality.
Now suppose that observer # 1 made mistakes in recording the information. In this case, the investigation of the indirect observer is prone to fail if the primary data are not carefully analyzed and the source errors are not detected.
For this reason, researchers prefer the use of direct observation, since they rely more on data collected by themselves than on data provided by others.
3- When interviews are conducted to obtain data in an indirect way, it is at the mercy of the memory of the interviewees, who could omit information of importance to the investigator or lie.
4 - If sources are not handled properly, plagiarism (theft of intellectual property) could be incurred. This would lead to legal problems for the investigator.
When is indirect observation used?
There are several reasons why an investigator prefers indirect observation rather than other research methods. These include the following:
1- The object studied is very susceptible and could interpret direct observation as an invasion of privacy.
2- The object observed is dangerous or could be harmful to the health of the observer. It is preferable to keep the distance.
3- The object is hostile and does not want to cooperate, reason why is used to secondary sources (relatives, friends, among others) in order to obtain information about him.
4- The object studied is no longer available to the researcher. For example, the phenomenon may have occurred in the past but is no longer repeated in the present, and all that remains of it are the records.
5 - The observer does not have the necessary funds to study the object directly. So you have to resort to secondary sources to obtain the data needed for research.
References
- Indirect Observation. Retrieved on September 21, 2017, from insightsassociation.org
- Direct and Indirect Observation. Retrieved on September 21, 2017, from qualquant.org
- Methods of Psychological Research. Indirect Observation. Retrieved on September 21, 2017, from quizlet.com
- Direct and Indirect observation. Retrieved on September 21, 2017, from informationr.net
- Indirect observation. Retrieved on September 21, 2017, from definitionword.com
- Qualitative Methods. Retrieved on September 21, 2017, from socialresearchmethods.net
- Observational methods in psychological research. Retrieved on September 21, 2017, from wikipedia.org.