Las corrientes psicológicas y su relación con las características

In using observation methods, researchers record individuals 'overt behavior, taking note of physical conditions and events. Direct contact with them is avoided; instead their actions are examined and noted systematically. For instance, researchers might use observation methods to answer the question, "How long does the average McDonald's restaurant customer have to wait in line before being served?" Observation may include the use of ethnographic techniques, such as watching customers interact with a product in a real-world environment.

Microsoft employed ethnographic techniques when it sent researchers into 50 consumers' homes to observe and videotape how the entire family used the firm's Vista operating system software, which had not yet been released to the public. Based on the company's observations and interactions with the households, Microsoft made a number of changes to improve the system, including correcting about 1,000 problems identified by the participant households.

Observation also may be combined with interviews. For example, during a personal interview, the condition of a respondent's home or other possessions may be observed and recorded The interviewer also can observe directly and confirm demographic information such as race, approximate age, and sex.

Data gathered through observation sometimes can be biased if the person is aware of the observation process. However, an observer can be placed in a natural market environment, such as a grocery store, without biasing or influ- encing shoppers' actions. If the presence of a human observer is likely to bias the outcome, of human sensory abilities are inadequate, mechanical means may be used to record behavior. Mechanical observation devices include cameras, recorders, counting machines, scanners, and equipment that records physiologic changes. The electronic scanners used in supermarkets are very useful in marketing research. They provide accurate data on sales and customers' purchase patterns, and marketing researchers may obtain such data from the supermarkets.

Observation is straightforward and avoids a central problem of survey methods:

motivating respondents to state their true feelings or opinions. However, observation tends to be descriptive. When it is the only method of data collection, it may not provide insights into causal relationships. Another drawback is that analyses based on observation are subject to the biases of the observer or the limitations of the mechanical device.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE

Differentiate between open-ended and observation methods.

QUESTIONNAIRE SAMPLE Bio Data

1. Gender a. Male b. Female

2. Please select your level of Education?

a. PhD b. Masters

c. Graduate Degree

3. What Income Bracket do you into (in Naira) a. =N=40,000 and Below

b. =N=41,000 to =N=80,000 c. =N=81,000 to =N=120,000 d. =N=121,000 and Above

4. Please indicate your current marital status.

a. Married.

b. Single (Widowed, Divorced or Separated) c. Single (never married).

5. How long have you lived at your current address?

a. Less than 1 year.

b. 1 to 3 years.

c. 4 to 6 years. d.

7 to 10 years.

e. 11 to 20 years.

f. 20 years and above

6. Please indicate your current employment status.

a. Employed full time.

b. Employed part time c. Not currently employed d. Retired.

7. If married please indicate your spouse’s current employment status.

a. Employed full-time.

b. Employed part –time c. Not currently employed.

d. Retired.

8. If you have children, please indicate the number of children under the age of 18 in your household. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,).

9. Which one of the following categories best corresponds with your last completed year in school?

a. Post graduate studies.

b. Graduate studies or degree.

c. HND/NCE.

d. SSCE/WAEC.

10. Which one of the following categories best describes the nature of your work?

a. Government (FED. State LGA) b. Petro-chemical

c. Education.

d. Legal

e. Manufacturing.

f. Medical.

g. Financial and transportation.

h. Retailing/Wholesaling i. Insurance

j. Consulting.

Section B

Next to each statement, please fill in the response box that best expresses the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement. Remember there are no rights or wrong answers. The researcher just wants your opinions.

SA = Strongly Agree A= Agree

N= Neutral D = Disagree

SD = Strongly Disagree UD = Undecided

S/N QUESTIONS SA A N D SD UD 9 I wish we had a lot more money.

10 Security for my family is most important 11 I am definitely influenced by advertising 12 I like to pay cash for everything I buy

13 My neighbors or friends often come to me for advice on many different matters.

14 For most products or services, I try the ones that are most popular

15 Unexpected situations often catch me without enough money in my pocket

16 Five years from now, family income will probably be a lot higher that it is now

17 Socially, I see myself more as a blue-collar person rather that a white-collar one

4.0 CONCLUSION

A common mistake in constructing questionnaires is to ask questions that interest the researchers, but do not yield information useful in deciding whether to accept or reject a hypothesis. Finally the most important rule in composing questions is to maintain impartiality.

5.0 SUMMARY

In this unit, open-ended and observation methods were discussed. The mechanical observation devices were analyzed, finally, Means of gathering data through observation method were mentioned and a sample of research questionnaire was displayed.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT