Question

Which of the following is a main characteristic of a laboratory observation?

• A. Observation of people in their normal setting with no attempt to manipulate behaviour
• B. Measure direction and magnitude of a relationship between variables
• C. Observation of people in a controlled setting
• D. Study of single individual in depth

Hint:

To distinguish these methods:
- Naturalistic = Real-world, no control.
- Laboratory = Artificial setting, high control.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Observational research methods in developmental psychology allow researchers to collect systematic data on human behavior.
These are classified primarily into naturalistic and laboratory observations.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
- Naturalistic Observation involves observing subjects in their natural, everyday environment without any intervention or manipulation by the researcher. This is described in option (A).
- Correlational Study measures the strength, direction, and magnitude of relationships between two or more variables. This is described in option (B).
- Laboratory Observation involves observing behavior in a controlled, artificial environment (such as a research lab) designed by the researcher. This setup provides standardized conditions for all participants, although researchers do not necessarily manipulate behavior as they would in a true experiment. This is described in option (C).
- Case Study is an in-depth, comprehensive investigation of a single individual, group, or event. This is described in option (D).

Step 3: Final Answer
The defining characteristic of laboratory observation is observing subjects within a controlled setting.