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Journal Article Link 7.1: Fernandez-Dols, J., & Crivelli, C. (2013). Emotion and expression: Naturalistic studies. Emotion Review, 5(1), 24–29.

Abstract: Do basic emotions produce their predicted facial expressions in nonlaboratory settings? Available studies in naturalistic settings rarely test causation but do show a surprisingly weak correlation between emotions and their predicted facial expressions. This evidence from field studies is more consistent with facial behavior having many causes, functions, and meanings, as opposed to their being fixed signals of basic emotion.

1. What is the rationale for conducting a naturalistic study for this type of research question?
2. If you were to conduct a study examining this question, how would you operationally define the constructs of interest?
3. How would you quantify your observations?
4. How would you minimize bias in your observations?

Journal Article Link 7.2: Cohen, J. H. (2000). problems in the field: participant observation and the assumption of neutrality. Field Methods, 12(4), 316–333.

Abstract: This article has two goals. First, using events that took place during fieldwork in rural Oaxaca, Mexico, in 1993, it argues that an unanticipated strength of participant observation is the way in which it forces us, as field workers, to step into potentially alienating situations. Second, it highlights how important it is for us to share the challenges of fieldwork (and even the disasters that occur) with our students as we teach them the skills they will need to effectively conduct research.

1. What were the advantages of participant observation?
2. Could this study be conducted from a quantitative perspective? How would a research go about that?

Journal Article Link 7.3: Robinson, O. C., & McAdams, D. P. (2015). four functional roles for case studies in emerging adulthood research. Emerging Adulthood, 3(6), 413–420.

Abstract: Case studies have four functional roles which, if more widely embraced, can help to advance theory and methodology in the study of emerging adults. These functions are case-based theory development, individual-level prediction testing, theory exemplification, and idiographic psychobiography. We describe these functions and provide real and hypothetical examples of each one. We also discuss specifiability—the capacity of a theory to make predictions about, explain, and interpret individuals—as a criterion of validity for theories that is closely tied to the rationale for case studies. Finally, protocols for case study sampling are described, including intensity sampling, deviant case sampling, and significant case sampling.

1. What are the four functional roles case studies serve in research?
2. Do you think case studies are an appropriate approach to studying the research questions in the study? Why or why not?