Participant Observation in Anthropology - 1749 Words

Participant observation is a method of collecting information and data about a culture and is carried out by the researcher immersing themselves in the culture they observing. The researcher becomes known in the community, getting to know and understand the culture in a more intimate and detailed way than would be possible from any other approach. This is done by observing and participating in the community’s daily activities. The method is so effective because the researcher is able to directly approach the people in the community in a natural context as opposed to taking the participant out of their environment. The aim of participant observation is to gain an understanding the subject’s life from their perspective, with the purpose of†¦show more content†¦Schensul, Schensul and LeCompte (1999) offer many reasons for using the participant observation method in research. These reasons include allowing the researcher to create relationships with informants and with the community, assisting the researcher in getting a feel for how different aspects of the community are organised and how they are valued, as well as how those in the community depend on each other. Observation and immersion in the culture also allows the anthropologist to become known to the members of the community, and easing facilitation of the research process. DeWalt and DeWalt (2002) argue that the goal of the participant observation method is to â€Å"develop a holistic understanding of the phenomena under study that is as objective and accurate as possible† (DeWalt and DeWalt 2002 p.92). They also believe that the validity of the anthropologists study can be increased by participant observation, as the direct and inclusive nature of the method helps the researcher to gain a more in-depth understanding of the situation and the people being studied. When interviews, analyses, questionnaires and other quantitative methods are used in conjunction with observation, the validity of the study increases as more intimate and accurate information can be obtained, and hypotheses can be tested. The results from participant observation can beShow MoreRelatedEssay Malinowskis Participant-Observation in Modern Anthropology2209 Words   |  9 PagesWhere does Malinowski’s conceptualization of participant-observation sit in the landscape of modern anthropological fieldwork? A primary objective of the modern ethnographer is to glean insights into the ways people relate to and interact with one another and the world around them. Through participant-observation, Malinowski (1922) offered a valuable tool with which to uncover these insights and understandings, the ethnographer. 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