Behavior observation

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Behavioral observation is a systematic observation and registration of behaviors (in empirical social research , psychological diagnostics and / or in educational practice) in individuals, small groups or even larger social entities, although the methodology reaches its limits with the latter.

Behavioral observation must be methodologically well planned and well thought out so that the benefit is appropriate. Beginners tend to value observed behavior. If evaluations get out of hand, the possible results of the behavioral observation are in fact useless, since their statements are more or less subjectively falsified and thus imprecise.

Behavioral observations are very important material for practice in preschool education, which can be evaluated in the team of educators and used for the design of educational processes. Nonetheless, behavior monitoring is the "unloved child" in parenting situations: It is probably the basis for planning parenting; but hardly any educator organizes them consistently or systematically.

definition

Observation refers to a particularly attentive or targeted perception of a person or a defined object and its recording in order to obtain precise knowledge of a process or state. In the field of diagnostics , behavior observation is used in addition to other procedures, but also as an independent method.

Hasemann (1964) attaches great importance to the fact that behavioral observation is specifically designed for one or more people in order to find out something that is "characteristic of the personality".

methodology

The possibilities for observing behavior are diverse and are also based on the occasions, the situations to be observed and the imagination of the person who organizes the observation of behavior.

  • The simplest and most obvious method is the observation sheet (sheet with the date and name of the observed person), which describes behavior in a certain period of time in simple and non-judgmental words. The advantage of this method lies in its practicality and comprehensibility. The extent of the technical preparation is also manageable.
  • Another (more demanding) variant is the schematic observation sheet, which, however , is or has to be tailored to the behavior of a person to be observed .
  • Another possibility are index cards or an index card system that can also be stored electronically. Observations on a behavioral focus can be noted regularly (e.g. daily) on index cards, which are sorted by date. Other aspects of order are also possible (behavior in the game, behavior in conflicts, behavior during tasks, etc.).
  • Film recordings are now quite possible, but they require evaluation and must be very precisely coordinated with data protection regulations. As easy as it is to organize film recordings nowadays, the evaluation (also the evaluation for educational work) and the storage and organization of the film material are usually difficult.

A different variant is the sociogram , which can be defined and practiced as a way of observing the behavior of small groups . As a rule, however, the sociogram is not subsumed under behavioral observation.

practice

Behavioral observation is often practiced and justified when it comes to justifying certain pedagogical methods and support measures.

  • If you want to support a child in a targeted manner, it is fundamentally advantageous or necessary to know in which areas it is worthy of support (see also developmental psychology ).
  • If the educator wants to reduce the aggressive behavior of a child, she would do well to precisely localize or describe the occurrence of this behavior that is disruptive to the group. This can be done in a behavioral observation.
  • If a child is noticeably withdrawn, behavioral observations usually help to find out in which areas the child can be addressed.

Basically, effective support for the child is only possible if it has been defined what needs to be supported. The information for the exact definition of the current situation of a child / adolescent can be provided with the help of behavioral observation or its evaluation.

In practice there are different variants of behavior observation. As a rule, they are related to what experiences have been made with them in the respective institution. The standards for the evaluation (evaluation) of one or the other method variant are also based on this.

Indeed, a bigger problem is that behavioral observation is not taken seriously in most public education institutions. Thus, the extent of in-depth knowledge about the children / adolescents to be brought up is limited. Lack of time is the common excuse. Effective educational efforts are only possible with the help of a precise behavioral observation of the child / adolescent.

On the other hand, changes in behavior (e.g. if the child is effectively encouraged) can also be proven or proven through behavioral observation.

Distinctions

In psychology, a distinction is made between self-observation and observation by others. The self-observation could also self-reflection call. The times of the big and heated discussions about methods of self-observation are long gone.

Of course, in the case of external observation, the observer and the observed are not identical (which is the case with self-observation). If the observer takes e.g. B. participates in group processes, one speaks of participatory observation; However, this type of observation is methodologically controversial (e.g. because the observer's attention is more easily distracted or self-conscious towards individual persons); it is considered unreliable. If the observer does not take part in the action, one speaks of non-participating observation.

Brockhaus Psychologie (Leipzig) also speaks of the difference between everyday observation and scientific (or planned) observation; the latter is systematic and its evaluation is carried out using exact and traceable methods. They serve scientific knowledge.

See also

literature

  • K. Hasemann: Behavioral observation and behavioral assessment in psychological diagnostics. Hogrefe, Göttingen 1964, DNB 451852192 .
  • Jakob Levy Moreno : Group psychotherapy and psychodrama. Thieme, Stuttgart 1988, ISBN 3-13-378703-9 .
  • R. Pauli, W. Arnold: Psychological internship. 7th edition. Volume 1, Fischer, Stuttgart 1972, ISBN 3-437-00119-1 .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Hermann-Josef Fisseni: textbook of psychological diagnostics . 3rd, revised and expanded edition. Hogrefe, Göttingen 2004, ISBN 3-8017-1756-9 , p. 120 .
  2. ^ Norbert Kühne et al.: Psychology for technical schools and technical colleges. 8th edition. Bildungsverlag EINS, Troisdorf 2006, p. 26 ff.
  3. ↑ Norbert Kühne , Peter Wenzel: Practice Book Pedagogy: Observing, Planning, Education. Stam Verlag, Cologne 2000, pp. 1-14, 27-38, 39-52.