Naturalistic Observation Discussion

 

 

Are you a natural people watcher? If so, you have discovered that human beings are a humorous species. (We can do some very funny things, especially when we don’t realize that someone is observing our behavior). This assignment involves you ” going undercover” to explore the intriguing nature of human behavior.

Directions: Spend time observing the behavior of a person, or people, or animals in their natural setting. For example, this can be a setting at home, at work, or if the pandemic is under control and you have received your COVID vaccination then you may consider observing behavior in a public setting such as the mall, a soccer game, the theatre, the airport, or at a sports bar (if you are over 21 years of age). Attempt your observation without others realizing that they are the topic of your psychology homework assignment. Take note of their behavior, their reactions, and the possible motivations for the behavior you see. (Note: Make sure that you select an observation with action-oriented behavior. Observing someone alone studying, watching television, or playing video games doesn’t reveal too much.)

In your discussion forum answer the following observation and evaluation questions:

*State your name. (Gizem)

(1)Title your observation with a creative title. Indicate the number of the response as you address each question.

(2) Describe the setting. Set the stage of your observation. Provide a good description of the setting and location. (Where are you… and be specific.)

(3) Describe the observable behavior. What about the people or the situation that initially attracted your attention to make this observation?

What behaviors did you see people/animals doing? Provide specifics.

(4) What reasons do you suppose are motivating the behaviors you observed?

(Make an educated guess. Now is your opportunity to “play” amateur psychologist.)

(5) Evaluate the accuracy of the observation. Did the subject(s) realize you were observing their behavior? If so, how did their behavior change when they discovered they were being watched?

(6) Critical Thinking: What conclusions would you draw about human behavior from this observation?

(7) Identify a theorist (founder) from the perspectives mentioned in Chapter 1 of the textbook and apply one of their principles to your observation. Explain how the theory applies.

When you peer post to your classmates be sure to number your responses while responding to these specific questions (1-4). To facilitate our class discussion your response posts must include

Hello _____________

1. Discuss what you enjoyed most about their “observational” post and why. What makes you say that?

2. Discuss what similar experiences you’ve had with your classmate’s posted observation (have you previously observed what they discovered?)
3. Provide a comment (feedback) about their choice of theorist and perspective.

4. Provide a comment about how well they explained the theory and the application of the theory to their observation.

Your peer post to a classmate should reflect intellectual thoughts and explanations based upon your personal experiences, readings, or research. For shorter responses, communicate with more than 2 students in order to maximize your points earned. For example, if you agree or disagree with a statement by a classmate, explain your reasons and support your response.

1-Rocio

Title- Observing the Obvious.

My observation is being conducted in a Cardiovascular clinic located within Methodist Dallas.

The reason why I started observing this person and the situation was because I went to vacation for a week and noticed a lot of work was not done while I was gone. When I came back and took time to observe this person’s behaviors, I noted that they were not doing what they were supposed to do for a long time, and they were getting away with this behavior for so long because I was completing her work without noticing.

I feel the reason behind this person’s behavior is the fact that they are just here for a paycheck. This person is not here for the right reasons and because they are just lazy.

This person did realize that they were being observed because her work was not being completed by me and our tasks then were divided by provider so now, she was starting to be held accountable for things that were not being completed. This person’s behavior completely changed and was upset because she was having to do more work and needed training to be able to complete these tasks even though she has been with the company for over a year now. Management quickly realized that she was not up to date on training, and she was being held accountable.

What I realized from this observation was that people will continue to do things even if it is wrong until they are caught. This person knew I was doing more work and once I left for vacation and things were not being completed, did any of us notice.

I believe that this person’s perspective was behavioral because they learned at some point how to get away with not doing their job from the past if they knew how to get away with it for so long.

• 2-Iris
• Good evening, my name is Iris.

  1. My observation is called Kids and Confidence.

  2. My 9 year old brother likes to play his keyboard in every room of the house (as loudly as possible), but for this particular observation, he is in the comfort of his room.

  3. He’s been very engulfed in his music ever since we got him the keyboard. He loves to show us all the pieces of music he’s learning; and yes, he’s a ‘self-taught-baby-genius’ in my opinion. He will listen to a piece of music and then practice along with it until he learns the piece. I loved how confidently he played, even when he would mess up the original piece, he’d be spontaneous and create his own version of the melody.

  4. We always let my brother know that he is extraordinary, and he knows it. I believe that instilling confidence in your children (not arrogance), can change their outlook on life’s challenges and milestones. Being that he has the mindset of “I can do this, I just have to try my best”, he’s able to remedy any mishaps that may happen.

  5. At some point, he did notice I was there. I did start to hear a few hiccups in his playing. He peaks from the corner of his eye, and gets a bit fidgety. Maybe it was the excitement, pressure, or nervousness of having an audience, but the longer I stayed and encouraged him, the better he played. He really started to strut his stuff after a while, I had to tell him that a ‘grand finale’ piece isn’t usually 5-10 minutes long.

  6. My conclusions from this observation are about confidence and self esteem in children. Instilling healthy levels of confidence, showing support, showing love, and showing genuine interest in a child’s hobbies have a major effect on their self esteem and overall ability to handle life’s challenges going forward. I believe that without that foundation, a child may go through life suppressing their true emotions, needs, and wants, and ultimately finding refuge in unhealthy coping mechanisms.

  7. William James, who is considered the “father of American psychology”, discovered functionalism. Functionalism is how mental and behavioral processes function to enable organisms to adapt to the environment. Lack of mental stability will turn into behavioral challenges, and that will effect a persons ability to function healthily. This theory applies well to my observation, because of how my brother was able to adapt quickly after making a ‘mistake’ using his musical ability and confidence. He loves repetition, and is amazing at duplicating what his senses absorb. Which is why we feed positivity and support into him, because it blossoms into self esteem and assurance in himself. This theory may be true of adults as well, but my test subject was my lovely brother.