A psychologist conducted an observational study to investigate how patients choose to behave and position themselves while waiting in a busy local healthcare clinic reception area.
To conduct the study, she obtained administrative permission to view and analyse CCTV recordings from a single afternoon. The patients and visitors were unaware that their behaviour was being observed for research purposes.
Table 1: Behaviours observed when a new patient enters the waiting area
| Initiates small talk | Sits as far away as possible | Looks at mobile phone | Reads a clinic leaflet | Nods or smiles | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 85 | 60 | 30 | 10 | 200 |
Evaluate the use of covert observation in this study.
201 exam-style questions on OCR A Level Psychology Planning and conducting research. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.