Controlled and non-Controlled observation.

Controlled observation.

Controlled observation is that the of observation in which take place according to definite pre-arranged plans, involving experimental procedure. The benefit of control observation is that greater precision and objectivity can be achieved and the observations can be made repeatedly under identical condition.

The observer is made under controlled condition in most of the physical and the biological science. I,e The observer manipulates different independent variable to observe the cause and effect relationship. In this type of observation, we use the mechanical instrument as aids to accuracy and standardisation. Controlled observation has a tendency to supply formalised data upon which generalisations can be built with some degree of assurances.

The control observation is either control over the phenomenon or control over observation. In laboratory type observation, the control used is over phenomenon I,e varying different stimulus such as temperature, pressure, etc. In the case of some science, such control is practically not possible. For this purpose, different devices are used and some of the devices are.

1. Use of detail observation plan.
2. Use of schedules.
3. Use of sociometric
4. Use of hypothesis.
5. Use of team observation.
6. Use of control group.

1. Use of detailed observation plan.

In detailed observation plan, what factors are to be observed and how they are to be done are decided in advance and a definite plan for the study of each chapter is prepared.

2. Use of schedules.

The schedules used for controlling the observation is generally in the form of blank tables, in which various factors are to be filled up.

3. Use of sociometric scales.

These scales are used for providing quantitative measurement to observation in order to render it amenable to statistical analysis.

4. Use of team hypothesis.

Since an individual’s observation perception is always open to bias, team observation is used to control such biases.

5. Use of control group.

In this method, two similar groups are selected and a stimulus is applied to one group and the other group is kept free from the stimulus. The former group is called experimental group and the latter group is called control group. The control group is useful not for observation but for valid generalisation.

Non-Controlled observation.

In non-controlled observation when they are made in natural surroundings and the activities are performed in their usual course without influence or guided by an external force, called non-controlled observation. These observations are generally not very reliable. This is because it may induce to generalise from the scary incident without verifying them. Various observers may observe the same thing differently and draw different conclusions.

1. The non-controlled observation is resorted to in case of exploratory to researchers.
2. The non-controlled observation has the main pitfall is that os subjective interpretation. There is also the danger of having the feeling that we know more about the observed phenomenon than we actually do.
3. There is no attempt is made to use the precision instrument in the non-controlled observation.
4. The major aim of this type of observation is to get a spontaneous picture of life and persons. It has a tendency to supply naturalness and completeness of behaviour allowing sufficient time for observing it.

Discuss Likert scale.

The Likert scale is regarded as the most useful in a situation where it is possible to compare the respondent’s score with a distribution of score from some well definite group. This scale is developed on the basis of item analysis approach wherein a particular item is evaluated considered how well it discriminates, between that person whose total score is high and those whose score is low.

The items or statement that best meets this sort of discrimination tests is included in the final instruments. That is it consists a number of statements which express either a favourable or unfavourable attitude towards the given object to which the respondent is asked to react. The respondent indicates his agreement or disagreement with each statement in the instrument. Each response is given a numerical score indicating its favourableness or unfavourableness, and the scores are totalled to measure the respondent’s attitude. In other words, the overall score represents the respondents' position on the continuum of favourable or unfavourable towards an issue. One important limitation is that, with this scale, we can simply examine whether respondents are more or less favourable to a topic., but we cannot tell how much more or less they are.

They are usefully useful when we are concerned with a programme of change or improvement in which case we can use the scales to measure attitudes before and after the programmes of change or improvement in order to assess whether our efforts have the desired effect.

Most frequently used summated in the study of social attitudes follow the pattern developed by Likert. For this reason, they have often referred a Likert-type scales.

Reference.

Kerlinger, F.N. Foundation of Behavioural Research. New Delhi: Surjeet Publication, 2000.

Kothari, C.R. Research Methodology. India: Vishwa Prakashan, 1990.

Singh, M.L. and J.M Singh. Understanding Research Methodology. 1998.

Singh, Mrigendra Lal. Understanding Research Methodology. Nepal: National Book centre, 2013.