Naturalistic observation is the psychological concept of people changing their behavior when they know they are being watched. Many times, this type of observation will be used if lab research cannot be done. Psychologists go about this type of research by studying the behavior of a person, or animal, in their normal setting with absolutely no intervention. This is commonly considered of be one of the best forms of research due to its cost-effectiveness, use in validating an experiment, and overall ease.
One common form of naturalistic observation I have witness first hands from kindergarten through 12th grade is a superior’s examination of a teacher’s effectiveness. In most schools, members of the administration will sit in on classes from time-to-time in order to make sure the teachers are doing their job to their best ability. Normally, said ‘administrator’ will seat themself in the back row of the classroom, and silently scribble on their note pad for the duration of the class. They are there to evaluate the teacher, and their evaluation can eventually help decide whether the teacher will remain, or be terminated.
Interestingly enough, teachers have a tendency of changing the way they teach/act during classes where they know they are being evaluated. More times than not, a teacher who may goof off during class suddenly becomes very serious when they know their job could be on the line. Additionally, teachers who may have a ‘different’ style of teaching, or a way of teaching that is not fully supported by the administration, they will usually change their method to a more simplistic and rudimentary practice. This is the perfect example of naturalistic observation, as the administrators are observing teachers in their natural setting while they do what they do every day. Furthermore, this example perfectly demonstrates how subjects will change their demeanor/behavior when they know they are being observed.