A researcher conducted an observational study to investigate how passengers choose to behave and position themselves while waiting in a busy airport departure lounge during a prolonged flight delay.
To conduct the study, she obtained administrative permission from airport management to view and analyse CCTV recordings from a single evening. The passengers and visitors were unaware that their behaviour was being observed for research purposes.
Table 1: Behaviours observed when a passenger enters the delayed departure lounge
| Avoids eye contact | Sits with empty seat buffer | Uses headphones | Reads airport directory | Asks staff a question | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 115 | 90 | 75 | 45 | 25 | 350 |
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.