A researcher secretly observes shoppers in a grocery store and records how long they spend in each aisle. What is the most significant methodological limitation of this study?
AIt cannot produce numerical data
BIt cannot be replicated
CIt cannot establish what caused the observed behavior
DIt violates the scientific method
Descriptive methods — including naturalistic observation — document what happens but cannot determine why it happens or what caused it. The study can produce numerical data and can be replicated; it does follow the scientific method. The core limitation is that observation alone cannot rule out alternative explanations for the behavior observed.
Question 2 True / False
A researcher who openly announces they are observing a classroom has eliminated the Hawthorne effect from their study.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: False
The Hawthorne effect (behavior change due to awareness of being observed) is actually more likely when participants know they are being watched. Covert observation reduces but does not fully eliminate reactivity. The Hawthorne effect cannot be simply eliminated by disclosure — disclosure may itself alter behavior in different ways.
Question 3 Short Answer
A psychologist wants to understand the daily experience of a single patient recovering from severe amnesia. Which descriptive method is most appropriate, and why?
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: A case study, because it allows deep, longitudinal documentation of a rare or unique individual — something surveys and naturalistic observation cannot capture at the same level of detail.
Case studies are ideal when the phenomenon is rare, when individual-level depth matters more than generalizability, or when ethical or practical constraints make large-scale studies impossible. The tradeoff is low external validity — findings may not generalize to others.