Unobtrusive Measures

• Unobtrusive research entails collecting data independently of the processes that originally generated it, often involving the examination of social artifacts, traces, or other materials initially created for different purposes.Unobtrusive studies revolve around scrutinizing human traces, enabling the observation of human behavior, daily routines, and the impact of ideological beliefs.

• 8.1 provides an overview of archival strategies for research purposes, focusing on the versatility and range of archival data. The chapter distinguishes between public archival records and private archival records.

Public archival records are typically created for examination by others and are often arranged systematically. They can include a wide range of materials, from newspapers and books to government records and audiovisual media. Researchers find public archives appealing due to their standardized formats and nonreactive nature.

Private archival records, on the other hand, are meant for personal audiences and are less accessible. Both types of records contain textual, visual, and other forms of data that can be analyzed using content analysis techniques.

The chapter categorizes public archives into three types:

1. Commercial Media Accounts: These encompass various publicly produced materials like newspapers, magazines, TV transcripts, and more. Researchers can analyze these sources to gain insights into specific topics, as demonstrated by Molotch and Boden's examination of the Watergate hearings.

2. Actuarial Records: These records, such as birth, death, and marriage records, are used by insurance companies and researchers to assess various social phenomena. They provide demographic and residential information and offer valuable data for analysis.

3. Official Documentary Records: This category includes government documents and official reports that provide information on various aspects of society. However, researchers should be cautious about potential missing data, political bias, and editorial control that may affect the reliability and completeness of such records.

The chapter highlights the importance of using multiple measures and techniques to mitigate potential errors when working with archival data. It also discusses the potential insights gained from analyzing items such as tombstones, which can reveal social structures, historical trends, and cultural details beyond their role as grave markers.

The text also discusses the significance of official documentary records, which are created by various organizations and may include materials such as court transcripts, police reports, census data, financial records, and more. These records can be valuable sources of information for researchers. It also mentions that not all research questions can be answered with archival data alone.

The text talks about the ethical considerations when working with archival data, especially when it contains personal identifiers. Researchers need to take steps to ensure confidentiality and protect the privacy of individuals mentioned in the records.

Additionally, the text mentions the use of video recordings in archival research, which has become increasingly important. These recordings capture various social interactions and events, providing valuable data for researchers. The text also discusses the use of autobiographies, diaries, letters, and blogs as private records that offer insights into individuals' perspectives and life experiences.

Finally, the text emphasizes the versatility and range of knowledge that archival research can provide but advises researchers to use multiple methods to reduce potential sources of error when working with archival data.

• 8.2 This section discusses the use of physical traces as data sources, specifically focusing on two categories: erosion measures and accretion measures.

1. Erosion Measures: Erosion measures involve examining physical evidence that shows signs of wear or use. For example, researchers might analyze replacement records of high school French-language tapes to determine which tape was most frequently used based on the need for repair. However, erosion measures can have alternative explanations, and caution is needed when using them as standalone data sources. Multiple observations and data sources are often required to corroborate findings. An example is provided where the replacement of vinyl tiles around a chick exhibit in a museum indicated the exhibit's popularity.

2. Accretion Measures: In contrast to erosion measures, accretion measures involve examining deposits over time that accumulate naturally without researcher interference. These deposits can reveal insights into various aspects of human behavior and culture. For instance, the amount of dust accrued on library books can indicate their inactivity, and this measure can go beyond simply tracking the number of times books are signed out. Accretion measures can include the examination of various objects, materials, or even litter, graffiti, and unsolicited comments on online articles, all of which provide valuable data related to social culture.

• Why It Works (8.3): Erosion and accretion measures offer several advantages in research. These measures are unobtrusive, meaning they remain inconspicuous and are unaffected by researchers' observations. The data obtained from these traces is mostly free from reactive measurement effects. Unobtrusive measures, in general, provide distinct advantages over self-reported data because they reveal our actual actions, leaving traces of what we do, regardless of our thoughts, memories, or desired public image. Moreover, social artifacts reflect collective behaviors, providing a unique perspective on the social level compared to traditional data collection methods, which often rely on individual-level data and subsequent aggregation.

• Why it Fails (8.4): Social artifacts, accretion, and erosion provide valuable data when researchers infer their causes. However, biases and selective presentation of events can undermine meaningful evidence. Ensuring validity demands effort, including practice, theoretical grounding, triangulation, and testing. The interpretive process hinges on creativity, not guaranteed in every study. Considering alternative explanations is crucial, as straightforward answers may not always be accurate. Importantly, evidence tampering is a risk, affecting artifacts and making it challenging to discern genuine social behaviors.

• Framing it with Sociological Theory- Symbolic Interactionism provides a theoretical lens to understand how symbols, meanings, and interactions are embedded in the traces and artifacts studied through unobtrusive research methods. It emphasizes the importance of shared symbols in shaping social reality, making it relevant to the interpretation of data obtained through archival records, erosion measures, and accretion measures.

• Autoethnography- Reading this chapter was enlightening especially as someone who is learning the research process for the first time, unobtrusive measures seem like a great place to start to ensure that you're not being too invasive. At the same time it can be very easy to fall into a confirmation bias with this method only looking up things that you think will go along with what you're trying to prove, so that's why it's very important to use triangulation with this method.