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A final type of descriptive research—known as naturalistic observation—is research based on
the observation of everyday events. For instance, a developmental psychologist who watches
children on a playground and describes what they say to each other while they play is conducting
descriptive research, as is a biopsychologist who observes animals in their natural habitats. One
example of observational research involves a systematic procedure known as the strange
situation, used to get a picture of how adults and young children interact. The data that are
collected in the strange situation are systematically coded in a coding sheet such as that shown
in Table 2.3 "Sample Coding Form Used to Assess Child’s and Mother’s Behavior in the Strange
Situation".
Table 2.3 Sample Coding Form Used to Assess Child’s and Mother’s Behavior in the Strange Situation
Coder name: Olive
Coding categories
Episode Proximity Contact Resistance Avoidance
Mother and baby play alone 1 1 1 1
Mother puts baby down 4 1 1 1
Stranger enters room 1 2 3 1
Mother leaves room; stranger plays with
baby 1 3 1 1
Mother reenters, greets and may comfort
baby, then leaves again 4 2 1 2
Stranger tries to play with baby 1 3 1 1
Mother reenters and picks up baby 6 6 1 2
Coding categories explained
Proximity The baby moves toward, grasps, or climbs on the adult.
Maintaining contact
The baby resists being put down by the adult by crying or trying to climb
back up.Resistance The baby pushes, hits, or squirms to be put down from the adult’s arms.
Avoidance The baby turns away or moves away from the adult.