ABSTRACT
In this chapter I discuss some of the ways in which we can collect observational data indirectly. These techniques are in contrast to the direct observational tech niques that have dominated most of this book. Rather than relying on live obser vational techniques in the field, in this chapter I explore some ways in which we can collect information without actually being in the field. These indirect tech niques are particularly useful in collecting information about individuals in nonpublic settings, such as in the home. Thus, these techniques are most usefully to situations where issues of logistics or economics (e.g., traveling to individual homes spread across a diverse area) or privacy-related concerns (e.g., the impracticality of being in homes during the early morning) prevent us from actu ally conducting direct observations. Instead, we rely on participants' immediate or recollected observations of behaviors of interest. Some of the techniques to be discussed in this chapter include: rating scales, remote or spot sampling, diaries, and remote tape-recorders left at data collection sites. As we see, these indirect methods can be used either by themselves or in concert with direct observational methods. First, I discuss some general reasons why would we choose an indirect strategy over a more direct one.
