👁 Observable
The category describes something you can see or hear, such as "pushes another child with both hands". It does not describe something hidden inside the head, such as "feels jealous".
Observations » Operationalising Behavioural Categories
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Cambridge spec: 7.2.6, 7.2.7
- Why a broad behaviour such as "helping" or "aggression" cannot be recorded as it is
- How to operationalise behavioural categories so they are specific, observable and countable
- How to make sure categories do not overlap
- How to write and improve categories for a new scenario, and use them on a tally chart
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Unlock This CourseThe problem with broad behaviours
Imagine a researcher who wants to observe aggression in a playground. They stand with a clipboard and a tally chart. But what counts as aggression? One observer might tally a loud shout. Another might only tally a punch. A third might tally a child who simply looks cross. Their results would be very different, even though they watched the same children.
The trouble is that "aggression" is a broad idea. It is not a single action that an observer can see and count. The same is true of "helping", "friendliness" or "bullying". The answer is to operationalise the behaviour. (You met operationalising variables in an experiment in the lesson called Operationalising Variables. Here we use the same idea for observations.)
Key terms:
- Operationalising behavioural categories: turning a broad behaviour into specific actions that an observer can see and count.
- Observable: something an observer can actually see or hear happen.
- Overlap: when one action could fit into two categories at once.
Learn this
To operationalise a behavioural category, break the broad behaviour into specific, observable, countable actions, and make sure the categories do not overlap.
How to operationalise a behaviour
Ask yourself one question: "Could two different observers watch the same moment and both agree whether it happened?" If the answer is yes, the category is well operationalised.
🎯 Specific
It describes one clear action, not a whole group of actions. "Hits another child with a closed fist" is specific. "Is rough" is not.
🔢 Countable
Each time it happens, the observer can make one tally mark. It has a clear start and end, so one action is not counted twice.
Keeping categories apart
Categories must also not overlap. If one action could fit into two categories, the observer has to guess where to put the tally, and different observers will guess differently.
For example, "pushing" and "being rough" overlap, because a push is a rough act. A better pair is "pushes another child with both hands" and "shouts an insult at another child". An action can only fit in one of these.
From broad behaviour to categories
Worked example
A researcher wants to observe aggression in children at break time.
Step 1: start with the broad behaviour: aggression.
Step 2: break it into actions an observer can see or hear. Here are three behavioural categories:
- Hitting: strikes another child with a closed fist or a kick.
- Pushing: shoves another child with both open hands.
- Insulting: says a rude name to another child.
Step 3: check them. Each one is observable, specific and countable, and none overlaps with the others.
Step 4: use them on a tally chart. The researcher watches for 10 minutes and records:
- Hitting: || (2)
- Pushing: |||| (4)
- Insulting: |||| ||| (7)
Now the researcher can see that insulting happened most often. Because the categories are clear, another observer using the same chart should get similar numbers.
Improving poor categories
You may be asked to spot what is wrong with a category and fix it. Look for these problems.
❌ Too vague
"Is kind" cannot be counted. Better: "gives a classmate a pencil when asked".
🧠 Not observable
"Feels bored" is a feeling inside the head. Better: "yawns" or "rests head on the desk".
🔄 Overlapping
"Talking" and "chatting to a friend" are almost the same. Better: use one category, "talks to a classmate".
📏 Too broad
"Moves around" could be walking, running or fidgeting. Better: split it into "walks across the room" and "runs across the room".
Applying it to a new scenario
Worked example
A researcher wants to observe helping at a busy railway station. Write behavioural categories and say why they are good.
Categories:
- Carries luggage: carries a bag or case that the owner is not holding.
- Gives directions: tells another person the way, using words or pointing.
- Picks up dropped item: lifts something that another person has dropped and hands it straight back.
Why they are good: each describes an action the observer can see, each is specific, the observer can make one tally mark each time it happens, and a single action only fits one category.
Worked example
A researcher wants to observe attention in a classroom. A student writes the category "pays attention". Improve it.
Problem: "pays attention" is vague and cannot be seen directly. Two observers may decide differently.
Improved categories: "looks at the teacher for at least five seconds" and "writes in the exercise book". These can be seen and counted.
Why does this matter?
Clear categories mean different observers record the same thing in the same way, so they get similar results. Remember that categories only cover the list. Behaviours that are not on the list are missed.
Common mistakes
Common mistakes
- Writing a feeling. "Is angry" or "feels happy" cannot be seen. Write the action, such as "clenches fists" or "smiles".
- Repeating the broad word. Writing "aggression" as a category does not operationalise anything. Break it into actions.
- Overlapping categories. Check that one action cannot fit into two categories.
- Not making it countable. A category needs a clear action so that the observer knows when to make a tally mark.
Exam-style question
A researcher is going to carry out a structured observation of children's sharing behaviour in a nursery.
(a) Explain what is meant by operationalising behavioural categories. [2 marks]
(b) Write two operationalised behavioural categories the researcher could use to record sharing. [2 marks]
(c) The researcher first wrote the category "being generous". Explain one reason why this category is not suitable. [2 marks]
Model answer
(a) Turning a broad behaviour into specific actions (1) that the observer can see and count (1).
(b) Any two from: hands a toy to another child (1); lets another child join in a game (1); gives a piece of snack to another child (1). Each must be a clear action.
(c) "Being generous" is vague and cannot be seen directly (1), so different observers might tally different actions, which makes the results less reliable (1).
Exam tip
In (b), write actions you could picture a child doing. If you could not film it, it is not a good category.