In overt observation, which statement is true?

In overt observation, which statement is true?

• A. Participants know they are being observed.
• B. The researcher’s status is hidden to avoid bias.
• C. It uses no predefined recording categories.
• D. It only records verbal reports.

Answer: (A)

In overt observation, participants know they are being observed. This awareness is built into the method, often with consent and the expectation that behavior is being watched and possibly recorded. Because people know they’re observed, their behavior can change—a phenomenon called reactivity or the Hawthorne effect—which researchers must account for when interpreting results. The other statements don’t fit: keeping the researcher’s status hidden is characteristic of covert observation, not overt; using no predefined recording categories is unlikely since researchers usually apply a structured coding scheme to reliably capture behavior; and recording is not limited to verbal reports—overt observation documents actions, interactions, and nonverbal cues as well.

In overt observation, participants know they are being observed. This awareness is built into the method, often with consent and the expectation that behavior is being watched and possibly recorded. Because people know they’re observed, their behavior can change—a phenomenon called reactivity or the Hawthorne effect—which researchers must account for when interpreting results. The other statements don’t fit: keeping the researcher’s status hidden is characteristic of covert observation, not overt; using no predefined recording categories is unlikely since researchers usually apply a structured coding scheme to reliably capture behavior; and recording is not limited to verbal reports—overt observation documents actions, interactions, and nonverbal cues as well.