_________ involves employing systematic, organized and objective procedures to record behavioural phenomena occurring naturally in real time.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Observation
Option (1) Psychological test — Incorrect. A psychological test is a standardised and objective instrument used to assess a person’s mental and behavioural characteristics, such as intelligence or aptitude. The person answers set items; behaviour is not recorded as it happens in real life.
Option (2) Self Report — Incorrect. In a self-report the person gives factual information about herself or himself, her or his beliefs and opinions, through an interview or a questionnaire. It depends on what the person says, not on watching behaviour.
Option (3) Observation — Correct. Observation involves employing systematic, organised, and objective procedures to record behavioural phenomena occurring naturally in real time. Mother-child interaction, for example, is easily studied this way, though the observer has little control over the situation.
Option (4) Case study — Incorrect. A case study is an in-depth study of one individual: her or his psychological attributes and history in the context of the psychosocial and physical environment. It uses data from several methods, observation among them, so it is not itself the method described.
NCERT (2025-26): “Assessment Methods … Psychological Test is an objective and standardised measure of an individual’s mental and/or behavioural characteristics. Objective tests have been developed to measure all the dimensions of psychological attributes (e.g., intelligence, aptitude, etc.) described above.…” “Assessment Methods … Case Study is an in-depth study of the individual in terms of her/his psychological attributes, psychological history in the context of her/his psychosocial and physical environment.…” “Assessment Methods … Observation involves employing systematic, organised, and objective procedures to record behavioural phenomena occurring naturally in real time. Certain phenomena such as mother-child interactions can be easily studied through observation. The major problems with observational methods are that the observer has little control over the situation and the reports may suffer from subjective interpretations of the observer.…” “Assessment Methods … Self-Report is a method in which a person provides factual information about herself/himself and/or opinions, beliefs, etc. that s/he holds. Such information may be obtained by using an interview schedule or a questionnaire, a psychological test, or a personal diary.” |