ARIN2000 Research Methods

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ARIN2000 - Research Methods

• Unobtrusive Research

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Unobtrusive Research Methods

• Lecture Overview
• What is unobtrusive research?
• Types of unobtrusive research
• Using existing statistics
• Historical-comparative research

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Unobtrusive Research

• Unobtrusive research (or non-reactive research)
  is non-interventionist research where the
  researcher does not intrude upon or have any
  direct contact with the research object
• This style of research is in direct contrast with
  reactive research methods we have been looking at
  over the last few weeks where the researcher is
  actively involved in gathering data from the
  research subjects (through experiments, surveys,
  interviews, action research, participant
  observation etc)
• Unobtrusive research allows researchers to study
  social behaviour without affecting it
• The research objects do not know they are being
  studied so they will not change their behaviour
• Unobtrusive research can be either quantitative
  or qualitative

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Unobtrusive Research Methods

• Eugene Webb et al (1981) Non-reactive measures in
  the social sciences - first version published
  1966
• The social researcher is a detective looking for
  clues
• physical traces, simple observation and the use
  of documents
• Raymond Lee (2000) Unobtrusive Methods in Social
  Research suggests a three-fold classification of
  unobtrusive measures
• Found data
• Captured data
• Retrieved data

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Found data

• Found data are the physical traces that are left
  as a result of social behaviour, e.g. things that
  are added (accreted) or taken away (eroded) from
  the research object or environment
• Erosion measures
• Example Webb et al (1981) - study conducted in
  Chicago Museum of Science and Industry - looked
  at floor wear and tear to measure popularity of
  exhibits
• Accretion measuresExample study of popularity
  of radio stations - car dealer in Chicago asked
  to check what station car radios were tuned to
  when brought in for repair
• Graffiti - public (building walls, trains etc)
  and private (toilet cubicles)
• Garbology - study of garbage

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Captured Data

• Simple observationis distinguished from other
  types of field observation as observation where
  the observer has no control over the behaviour
  or sign in question, and plays an unobserved,
  passive and non-intrusive role in the research
  situation (Webb et al, 1981197)
• Webb et al classify five types of simple
  observation
• Exterior physical signs - e.g. tattoos, body
  piercing, clothing, hair styles
• Expressive movement - body language, gestures,
  facial expression
• Physical location - proxemics (study of how
  people organise and use physical space, e.g.
  seating patterns )
• In situ conversation - study of conversations as
  they naturally occur
• Time-related behaviour - studies how people use
  time

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Retrieved Data

• Actuarial recordsstudies of birth records,
  marriage records, death records
• Directories - e.g. telephone directories, Whos
  Who directories
• Political and Judicial records, e.g. voting
  records
• Government records, e.g. budgets, traffic records
  etc
• Crime and legal records
• Media records - studies of personal
  advertisements, job ads etc
• Sales records
• Industrial and institutional records
• Personal documents, e.g. letters, diaries

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The Internet

• The Internet has become a rich resource for
  unobtrusive research opportunities
• Observation of virtual communities, chat rooms,
  gaming communities, discussion groups etc
• Content/Document analysis of websites, blogs,
  homepages, email
• Cookies - to track user behaviour

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Ethical Issues

• Are the following practices ethical?
• lurking in chat rooms, discussion lists,
  virtual worlds
• Recording online material e.g. chat room
  transcripts
• Using cookies to track user movements online
• Is the Internet a private or public space?
• Informed consent?

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Analysis of existing statistics

• Sources of existing statistics
• Government data, census information, Australian
  Bureau of Statistics etc.
• Data from International Agencies, e.g. UNESCO,
  WTO etc
• Commercial data, e.g. Forrester Research
  (www.forrester.com),
• Academic data
• Libraries are good places to go ask for advice on
  what statistics are available and how they can be
  sourced

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Analysis of existing statistics

• Advantages
• Cost
• Time
• Quality of data

• Disadvantages
• Data may not be directly relevant to your
  research question
• Sample populations may not match
• Missing data, gaps in data
• Data may be unreliable or inconsistent

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Existing statistics example

• Lets say we want to investigate Internet use by
  gender
• Some starting questions
• What time period do we want to look at?
• What countries or regions do we want to look at?
• Are there any other user characteristics we want
  to look at?
• How are we going to find these statistics?

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Existing statistics example

• Internet use by genderstatistics from
  www.nua.com/surveys

Source listed as various Does not specify
whether these figures are US only or worldwide
do we assume US or worldwide?
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Existing statistics example
No data listed for 1999 onwards. Cited source
www.gvu.gatech.edu/user_surveys
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Lets look at some data for Australia
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Existing statistics example
AFCs source is cited as ABS, Use of the
Internet by Householders (cat. no. 8147.0) and
unpublished data
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Existing statistics example
NB. ABS statistics dont add up to 100 -
Possible reasons?
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Historical/comparative analysis

• Historical/comparative analysis is used to
  discover patterns in the histories of different
  cultures
• Babbie describes the aim of historical/comparative
  analysis as tracing the developments of social
  forms over time and comparing those developmental
  processes across cultures (2001399)

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Historical/comparative analysis

• Examples of historical evolution or progression
• Comte - human reliance on religion ? metaphysics
  ? science
• Karl Marx - economic systems a progression from
  feudalism ? capitalism (? socialism/communism)
• Marshall McLuhans historical/comparative
  typology of tribalised man, typographic man
  and re-tribalised man

Tribalised ManThe Primitive WorldOral Culture
Typographic ManThe Gutenberg
GalaxyPrint-based Culture
Re-tribalised ManThe Global VillageElectronic
Culture
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Historical/comparative analysis

• Neuman (2003385) discusses a range of
  possibilities for historical-comparative
  research
• Studies involving
• single nations
• few nations
• many nations
• Timeframes involving
• a single time (past or present)
• across time

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Historical/comparative analysis

• Historical/comparative analysis can include data
  from a variety of primary and secondary sources
  including existing statistics and historical
  documents (letters, diaries, newspapers,
  religious texts, films etc)
• Grounded Theory is often used in
  historical/comparative analysis - theory emerges
  during the process of data collection researcher
  immerses him/herself in the data rather than
  going in with a set hypothesis - theories and
  hypotheses are developed and modified through a
  dialogue with the data

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Historical/comparative analysis

• What problems might arise from using historical
  sources?
• Are documents/sources authentic?
• What problems might arise with comparing data
  from different cultures and time periods?

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References

• Earl Babbie, 2001, The Practice of Social
  Research, pp.303-328.
• Gilbert, N. (ed) 1993 Researching social life,
  Sage, London Newbury Park, Calif. Chapter 13
  Michael Proctor, "Analysing Other Researcher's
  Data" pp.255-269
• Neuman, W. Lawrence, 2003, Social research
  methods qualitative and quantitative
  approaches, 5th ed., Allyn and Bacon, Boston.
  Chapter 11 "Nonreactive Research and Secondary
  Analysis" pp.290-312
• www.abs.gov.au
• www.nua.com/surveys