Participant Observation

Participant observation is a research strategy using a range of procedures to gain a familiarity with a specific group of individuals or event. The purpose is to understand the practices of these groups through intensive involvement with them in their normal environment. The method originated in field work of social anthropologists, especially Bronislaw Malinowski and his students in Britain, the students of Franz Boas in the U.S., and in the urban research of the Chicago School of sociology founded by Robert Park.

History and Development

Participant observation has its roots in anthropology and is attributed to Frank Hamilton Cushing in the later part of the 19^th century. From there it emerged as the principal approach to studying cultures by anthropologists. It helped researchers cultivate personal relationships with local informants in order to learn about a culture, by observing and participating in the social life of a group.

The Method and Practice

Participant observation will usually involve a range of methods: direct observation of a specific human activity, activity analysis, participation in the life of the group, self-analysis, etc.

It has been used in many different contexts: in tribal situations, in small towns, and in the largest cities. When used in the city, the purpose is to gain an understanding of specific segments of societal activity, or specific communities. It can be used over just about any period of time. Shorter periods of contact can bring understanding, but longer exposure yields more reliable results.

For example, by observing, one can gain understanding when participating in a scripted event like a religious service, a court room, or a public gathering. There are many different components to any human activity:

1.      The use of symbols (On the walls, in the liturgy, on the platform, in the architecture? Always ask the question, “Why?”),

2.      Aspects of ceremonialism (time of day – specialized personnel – special objects.)

3.      The human dimension (attendance – relative numbers of men, women, adults, children, people of color, whites, etc.) Apply the same criteria to the observable leadership.

4.      The use of time (How much time is being spent on the various facets of the worship service? Why? What time of day? )

5.      The use of space (How is the room arranged? The furniture? Are there any barriers? What kinds of raised areas exist, how are they arranged, and what happens at each level? Why?)

6.      The makeup, attitudes and emotions of the participants (What is the age, ethnicity, gender of the participants? What kind of behavior, or body postures, do you observe during the various aspects of the service? Why?)

7.      The use of language (Are specialized words being used? What is scripted, and what is extemporaneous? A foreign language? What do they mean?)

Non-Scripted Contexts

Another way to use participant observation is to study contexts that are not scripted. Some examples would be: observing and recording the flow of people and traffic on a busy street corner in your city or town; or counting and categorizing the people, at different times of the day, who frequent a major intersection near your church building. Such observations would include the recording of various kinds of data, such as:

1.      The people who frequent the intersection (approximation of age, gender, ethnicity, etc.).

2.      The direction of their movement (where are they going, what side of the street are they).

3.      The signage (billboards, signs, newspaper and literature vending machines, flyers on light posts, symbols, memorials, water fountains, etc.). What are the messages? Who will be seeing them?

4.      The businesses located there (what kind of businesses are they, who goes into them, what clientele do they cater to).

5.      The direction and the ridership of the public transportation (what is the destination in both directions). Who uses the public transportation?

Look for patterns in the kinds of people and their movements.