Home > Participant observation

Participant observation has its roots in anthropology and the studies of non-Western societies by people such as Bronislaw Malinowski, Wedward Evans-Pritchard and Margaret Mead in the first half of the 20th century. By living with the cultures they studies, these people were able to formulate fascinating first hand accounts of their lives and gain insight never before accomplished.

This same method of study has also been applied to groups within Western society, and is especially successful in the study of criminals or deviant behaviour, where only by taking part might the observer truly get access to their lives.

See also: qualitative research; qualitative psychological research.