Naturalistic Observation

Naturalistic Observation

Naturalistic Observation
Observations and analysis of human behavior in the social environment: Visit a selection of environmental situations (a park, playground, museum, schoolyard, fast food restaurant, mall, movie theater, supermarket, hospital emergency room, religious service) where you can observe people in the developmental phases between infancy and early childhood. Include pregnant women and family configurations (with men) in your observations.

For your paper, select one observation of an infant, and then one of the following possibilities: a toddler or young child; a parent with a child; a family configuration with children; a non-family group with children. Reflect on the following questions as you develop a field report on your observations. Answer all questions.

? What types of behaviors did you observe? Specify the developmental phases of your subjects. Which behaviors appear to be socially constructed and which innate (if any)?
? What can you observe about the behavior of people in groups?
? How does gender, culture and class influence these behaviors?
? How many different languages did you hear spoken?
? How many different ethnic groups did you see?
? What was similar and different about them?
? How did ethnicity and language appear to influence the social groups?
? How did the environment appear to influence the group, and vice-versa?

Link at least three (3) findings per observed situation to references in the literature, for a minimum total of 5-8 different references drawn from this syllabus and additional readings of your choosing using the information obtained through the library instruction session.

Using your critical thinking skills, agree or disagree with the author?s interpretation of the given situation.
? Why?
? What surprised you the most? What upset you the most?
? What was the most significant aspect of this experience?
Suggestions: This work is designed for observation only. Choose situations where you can sit comfortably and safely. Do not engage people ? just observe them. Be discrete about what you are doing. Take notes and sketches unobtrusively. Do not photograph or audio/video tape record people. Start practicing a few weeks before the paper is due.

Format: All written assignments must be typed and double-spaced, with 12 pt. font, numbered pages and one-inch margins. You must use APA style to cite and reference literature.
You should cite 5-8 references for the term paper.

Conceptualization Portion of Final Assignment:

Using theoretical concepts learned in class, analyze the observations used for your paper. Using a theoretical concept (i.e. Social Exchange Theory,Conflict Theory, Piaget’s Stages if Development, etc.) analyze and explain the behaviors you encountered during your observation. Only one theory is required, but student may draw on multiple theories to help analyze different observations.
A Note on References:

The each textbook can count as one reference. If you cite both text books, those would be two separate references. References can be drawn from reference and journal articles by doing searches such as those outlined during the in-class library information session. Reference can also be drawn from other sources to assist you in describe the neighborhood where observations were conducted, demographic data and to support findings drawn from your observations.

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