Time-Use Measurement and Research: Report of a Workshop by Committee on National Statistics National Research Council

Author:Committee on National Statistics National Research Council
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Industry and Labor : Economics
Publisher: NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
Published: 2000-06-18T16:00:00+00:00

Observational Approaches

On some occasions, direct observation of an individual’s daily activities may be possible. In observational studies, an “interviewer” records what the respondent does during the day as opposed to the self-reports used in diaries, ESM studies, and stylized questions. For example, anthropologists have long used this approach in studying different cultures, and some child development studies use cameras or observational rooms to record how children spend their time in a controlled setting. John Robinson reported that he has recently trained students to “shadow” people they know throughout a day and record their activities, which are later validated against the trackee’s own diary report of activities for the day. Use of electronic tracking devices might also be included in the category of observational studies. Robinson (1999) gives the example of media rating services that use electronic badges to record when the participants are near operating televisions or radios as a way of understanding time spent watching television.

The key advantage of observational studies is that they are very accurate. Their biggest drawbacks are that they are intrusive, may contain little useful information, and are expensive. Furthermore, since consent is usually needed from participants, participants know that they are being watched which means that they may change their behavior for the camera or the observer. However, in some settings, observational studies can be very useful, both in their own right and as a way to validate data collected through other means. For example, given parental consent, observational studies of children in day care settings or even school settings may provide a good source of data for studying child development.

Workshop participants were very supportive of the use of multiple methods in a single study. As Norman Bradburn noted, the advantages and limitations of each method are known. Further understanding of how these methods can be used in tandem to get to the information that is needed would be valuable in understanding time use. For example, it will be useful to know which stylized questions can be used in conjunction with diary studies to save survey costs. Or, a single study may find it useful to measure some activities through experiential sampling and others through a time diary. Understanding the methodological underpinnings of using these methods in tandem is an important area for future research. In addition, if certain methods are known to produce biases in reporting, research could be conducted to assess the extent of the bias. If the bias can be determined, then less expensive methods of collecting data can be used, despite their biases, because adjustments can be made to correct the bias.

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