Final answer:
Carrie Oakey's concern with differing data points to observer bias, where observations may align with researchers' expectations. To address this, clear criteria and inter-rater reliability are essential to maintain internal validity and reduce observer bias in observational research.
Step-by-step explanation:
Carrie Oakey is concerned about a potential threat to internal validity in her thesis research due to differing data results between herself and her classmate, Barry Cade. This concern is indicative of observer bias, a well-known issue in observational research where researchers may unconsciously record observations that fit their expectations. To counteract observer bias, it's crucial to establish clear criteria for recording behaviors and to employ measures like inter-rater reliability, which assesses the consistency of observations by different observers.
Field research often involves collecting data by observing participants in their natural environments, and it is important for researchers to be objective, open-minded, and to accurately record all observations. When patterns emerge, these observations can lead to hypotheses that guide data analysis. Incorporating multiple observers or revisiting the observation can help in providing a more complete understanding and reducing potential biases.
Therefore, Carrie may need to review the coding system used for data collection, provide additional training to Barry Cade, or add another observer to improve the reliability of her collected data. Utilizing these strategies can help to mitigate the effect of observer bias and enhance the validity of the research results.