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What are the following examples of?

Men using a public restroom are observed surreptitiously by a researcher hidden in a toilet stall, who records the time they take to urinate (Middlemist, Knowles, & Matter, 1976).
Researchers covertly film people who strip the parts from seemingly abandoned cars (Zimbardo, 1969).
Researchers stage a shoplifting episode in a drugstore, and shoppers' reactions are observed (Gelfand, Hartmann, Walder, & Page, 1973).
Researchers hide under dormitory beds and eavesdrop on students' conversations (Henle & Hubbell, 1938).

User Paul Ryan
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The examples are of breaching experiments used to study social norms and conformity, where researchers subtly breach social etiquette to observe reactions. These are accompanied by naturalistic observation, where behavior is observed in its natural environment with the challenge of being difficult to control and requiring ethical caution.

Step-by-step explanation:

The scenarios described are examples of breaching experiments, a research method aimed at studying the sociological concepts of social norms and conformity. These experiments involve researchers engaging in behavior that is counter to societal expectations to observe the reactions of unsuspecting individuals. This method was notably used by sociologist Harold Garfinkel to uncover the power and influence of unwritten rules on social behavior. In these experiments, the observer's presence and actions are subtle enough to not trigger awareness that an experiment is in progress, with the goal of capturing natural reactions.

Naturalistic observation is another research methodology where behavior is observed in its natural setting, which seeks to minimize the observer's influence by remaining inconspicuous. Researchers may use various tactics to blend in, such as pretending to engage in a typical activity in the setting. However, these studies can be challenging to control and require careful ethical consideration, especially when participants are unaware they are being observed.

User Tamir Klein
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