Introduction
Naturalistic observation is a research method often used in psychology and other social sciences. It involves observing individuals in their natural environment rather than in a laboratory (Dane, 2019). This strategy has been used to study a variety of behaviors, from the development of children to the interaction between couples. In this essay, a naturalistic observation will be conducted to examine the differences in cell phone use between males and females in a restaurant setting.
Description of Observation
The observation hypothesizes that females are more likely to be on their phones than males in restaurants. The scrutiny revealed a variety of behaviors among the 27 people in the restaurant. Most people were sitting alone or in pairs, although there were a few groups of three or four. Most people seemed to have a casual dinner, ordering sandwiches, salads, or burgers. A few of them were seen eating pasta dishes or steaks. The majority were seen conversing, although some people were seen checking their phones or engaging in other activities, such as reading or playing games on their phones.
The observation was conducted over one hour, beginning at 7:00 and ending at 8:00. Of the 27 people, there were 15 males and 12 females. The monitoring was conducted unobtrusively to ensure the people being studied were unaware of the observation. This would help to ensure that the natural behavior of the people being observed was not affected by the presence of an observer.
Among the 15 males, eight were on their phones at some point during the observation period. The eight men using their phones were observed sending messages, reading emails, and browsing social media. The other seven males were not seen on their phones during observation.
Among the 12 females, 10 were seen using their phones during observation. Of these 10 females, six were seen texting, three checked emails, and one scrolled through social media. The other two females were not seen using their phones during the observation period.
Findings and Interpretation
The higher phone usage rate among females than males suggests that females are more likely to use their phones in restaurants. This finding is exciting considering that, in many societies, women are expected to be more polite than men, and the use of phones in restaurants is seen as impolite. One way to interpret the results is that in today’s society, women need to stay connected and, thus, use their phones more frequently than their male counterparts.
Men may be less likely to use their phones in public because they are more conscious of their surroundings. They may not want to appear distracted, intrusive, or impolite in a social setting, so they focus on the task. For instance, when dining with friends, a man may be more inclined to engage in conversation than check his phone.
Additionally, men may be more conscious of their privacy and the potential for others to intrude on it. This means that they may be more likely to consider their environment when using their phones, such as using them more discreetly or using their phones for private and confidential matters. Therefore, men may be more likely to use their phones with caution and discretion in public to avoid drawing attention to themselves or their activities.
Conclusion
To sum up, this naturalistic observation indicates that female restaurant patrons were more likely to be on their phones than male patrons. This discrepancy could be due to various factors, such as social expectations, differences in communication styles, or a desire to stay connected with friends and family. Further research is needed to explore the reasons behind this difference and identify potential solutions to bridge the gap between male and female cell phone use while dining.
Reference
Dane, F. C. (2019). Survey methods, naturalistic observations, and case-studies. In Companion Encyclopedia of Psychology (pp. 1142–1155). Routledge.