Today laboratory observations are very common while trying to understand the behavior of a person and even in some cases of an animal. Along with laboratory observations, naturalistic observations can also be made. The two different observations help researchers find out what is wrong with a specific person or animal and what could possibly be causing that. Observations allow researchers to gather their information, and form conclusions in order to help someone out. Laboratory and naturalistic observations are both successful in seeking out the information needed, however they both contain a number of advantages and disadvantages making them more appealing in certain conditions.

Naturalistic observation allows the patient to be very comfortable in their setting and eliminates the fear of the patient being uncomfortable. Natural settings allow the patient to act natural, and have a great possibility of matching up with the real life behavior of the person. However a disadvantage is that when someone knows they are being observed they can change the results of the study without noticing. If someone knows they are being watched it can alter their behavior and change the results, which has the potential to possibly mess up the information gathered by the researchers.

On the other had laboratory observations occur in a laboratory because special equipment might be needed to perform the experiment and it might be hard to provide that equipment in a natural setting. Advantages of observations taken from a laboratory include a much more controlled setting. Being in a laboratory, the researchers are able to control everything that is happening and can minimize any outside influences. Another advantage to this kind of observation is the use of specialized equipment; it can help produce results that would not be able to be observed outside of a laboratory. However, being observed in a laboratory can be very uncomfortable to some people. When a patient knows they are being observed it can be very hard for them to focus and can possibly alter the results.

My friend recently has been having problems when she is sleeping and doctors have a feeling that she stops breathing in her sleep. While she was explaining all of this to me she said she was scared to go in for testing. Ironically we had just discussed behavioral observations in class, and I knew why she was so nervous. She had said that they want to watch her sleep, in order to determine if she does indeed stop breathing while she is sleeping. I knew she was going to feel uncomfortable since she would be sleeping in a new environment but I kept reinforcing her that they only want to find out what is wrong with her. Although she was very scared and nervous for the testing to be done, she knew that it needed to be done for them to figure out what is wrong with her when she is sleeping.

I thought it was very interesting that she had mentioned this right after we had learned about it. Everyday people are undergoing observational studies in order to figure out what could possibly be wrong with them, if anything is wrong. A laboratory observation does have many advantages however, for some people it can be very unpleasing and very nerve-racking. At the end of the day, the process of being observed is worth it because researchers and specialists gather the information needed to help figure out what is wrong with someone.