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6 – Unobtrusive Measurement

6 – Unobtrusive Measurement


Why Should I Care?


There are hidden messages and meanings in landmarks, and objects that cannot speak. They have a story to tell if we know how to listen.



Definitions

 

Unobtrusive MeasurementMeasurement: The use of physical evidence, nonparticipant observations, and archival or                                                   documentary evidence without the knowledge of participants.


Artefacts: 

Artefacts                                   a physical object made by a human being, often embodying cultural or historical interest.



Usefulness

 

To study human activity without humans knowing, using traces of activity, or objects made by humans.



Objects of Measurement

 

Type of Object

Yes

No

Maybe

Example

Personal Characteristic



 X

Kitchen countertops height - clothes

Socio-Demographic Characteristic



 X

Parking lot licence plate

Opinion



 X

Political -

Motivations


 X



Ideology




Biases / Prejudice



X


Preferences

X




Personal History / Background

X




Family Dynamics




Cultural History

X




Perception / Self-Perception




Aptitude /Ability




Behaviour




Level of Knowledge


X 



 


 

Sampling

Populations are widely defined and usually large, depending on the community.


Samples are usually non-random, convenience and/or purposive.



Instruments

 

Artefacts are recorded using photography, video camera, drawings, notes, etc.



Scientific Power

 Exploratory:

Exploratory: the first thing you see is objects and traces. They are the “trail” to follow.


Descriptive: the more you see, the more you describe. But this is the end of the line for scientific power.



Steps

  1. Identify population/topic
  2. Choose recording tool
  3. Record audio-visual
  4. Analyze, Interpret, and Report


Advantages

  1. Useful when people are unwilling to answer surveys
  2. Reveal habitual behavior
  3. Useful for people who are not articulate (children) (or lost in translation)
  4. Allows to triangulate with other methods, to check validity of results


Disadvantages

  1. Lack of context
  2. Physical evidence is limited in objects of measurement
  3. Time-consuming
  4. Hazardous (ex: gangs, drug rings)
  5. Ethical considerations if researcher needs to be covert


Reporting


Social Linkages Maps

Spatial Maps

Descriptive Text

Synthesis Tables


Preferred


Disciplines

 

Preferred Disciplines

 

Anthropology, Geography, Sociology, Psychology, History



Other Non-scientific Disciplines

 

Applications in Marketing, Criminology, Journalism



Not useful for


Economists, Political Scientists (depends on the topic)



Think Piece


Think of your neighborhood. What could you observe about it (passively) to give people an idea who lives in this area?