01
Front
What is participant observation?
Back
An ethnographic method in which a researcher takes part in some activities while systematically observing and recording everyday life.
Free Online Flashcard Deck
2 Participant Observation and Fieldwork Free Online FlashCards
Study 2 Participant Observation and Fieldwork with 12 free online flashcards. Review key terms, definitions, and concepts with this interactive flashcard deck.
12 cards
02
Front
How does participant observation relate to ethnography?
Back
Ethnography is a broader approach to understanding social life; it may combine participant observation with interviews, documents, and other evidence.
03
Front
What does cultural relativism encourage in fieldwork?
Back
It interprets actions in relation to participants’ meanings and circumstances rather than judging them only by the researcher’s cultural expectations.
04
Front
What is a limitation of gatekeeper approval?
Back
Gatekeepers may control access, but their approval does not necessarily represent the consent or views of everyone in the setting.
05
Front
What is rapport in fieldwork?
Back
Rapport is a working relationship of trust and respect that supports everyday interaction and learning.
06
Front
How should researchers balance participation and observation?
Back
Researchers balance participation with enough analytic distance to notice patterns and ask questions; the appropriate balance depends on the setting, research question, and ethical limits.
07
Front
Why is a fieldworker not invisible in the setting?
Back
People may respond to the researcher’s presence, and the researcher’s actions may affect the setting.
08
Front
What is reflexivity?
Back
Reflexivity is the ongoing examination of how a researcher’s identity, assumptions, relationships, and role shape fieldwork.
09
Front
Why is consent treated as an ongoing process?
Back
Consent is ongoing: people should be able to understand the project, raise questions, or decline participation, subject to practical and institutional requirements.
10
Front
Do pseudonyms guarantee participant anonymity?
Back
Pseudonyms or altered identifying details may help protect participants, but they do not guarantee anonymity.
11
Front
When should fieldworkers expand their jottings into fuller notes?
Back
Write fuller notes as soon as practical, while details remain fresh; brief jottings can preserve reminders during fieldwork.
12
Front
How do jottings differ from fuller fieldnotes?
Back
Jottings are brief reminders made during fieldwork; fuller fieldnotes organize observations and reflections for later examination.
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