Observational methods in Psychology - Teaching activities

Three engaging A-Level Psychology observation studies — real-world, classroom and covert tasks that bring research methods to life with minimal prep.

Teach observational research in a practical, memorable way with this fully resourced A-Level Psychology chapter. Includes three ready-to-run studies: Hunting for Smombies (covert, non-participant), Classroom Interactions (overt observation), and Student Study Behaviour (time sampling). Each comes with clear delivery guidance, worksheets, and debrief notes focusing on validity, reliability, and ethics. Students explore key differences between structured, naturalistic, participant, and non-participant observation while collecting real data for analysis. Ideal for all exam boards — engaging, flexible, and low-prep.