Final answer:
Owen is using ethnography, which involves immersion and participant observation in a natural social setting to understand human experiences and behavior in context.
Step-by-step explanation:
Owen, the researcher, is employing a qualitative research method known for its focus on human experiences within their natural contexts, observing behaviors as shaped by relationships with the environment, objects, and people. This approach is ethnography. Ethnography is characterized by the immersion of the researcher in the natural setting of a social community to observe and experience their everyday life and culture, paying close attention to how individuals perceive their own social standings and understand themselves in relation to their community. It often involves participant observation where researchers may take on specific roles within the community to gather insights from an insider perspective.