The sample in my research would be the local Muslim community in Cape Town. Naturalistic observation involves looking at behavior as it unfolds without intervening and adding extra variables, thus, it is ideal to observe the sample without participating and opening the doors for biases, as opposed to the questionnaire method. Before conducting the research, it would be wise to create a list of symptoms and common choices associated with eating disorders, for the purpose of looking out for these behaviors. Eating disorders are abnormal eating habits that negatively influence ones self-image, mental state, emotions, and behavior. Anorexia and bulimia are examples of eating disorders that lead to unhealthy weight loss as well as a myriad of unhealthy symptoms. In turn, overeating due to emotional turmoil or habitual perceived hunger (Sibilia, 200) leads to obesity and associated lifestyle illnesses (Parekh, 207). The association between Body Mass Index and psychological distress adds to the frequency and quantity of eating, which contributes to obesity and other disorders, confirmed by a study done by Al-Thani & Khaled, (208). Since judging stress levels and estimating BMI is impossible using the naturalistic method, I will look into other factors, such as the type of foods favored, the quantity consumed, and the overall time spent eating. My preferred means of recording would be field notes and a timer.
Via direct observation, recording can take the form of writing, audio, and videos which are interpreted later. A limitation is that, although uninfluenced durin
g the occurrence of natural actions and attitudes, the bias of the researcher can influence later interpretations. This can be combated by recording videos instead of writing field notes at the moment. Field notes can also be written with language that states the obvious and is free from stereotypes of non-literal descriptions. The perk about this method in terms of gleaning eating habits is that it reduces self-report bias, and is independent of active involvement from the subjects. (Goodwin, 200) I would aim to record the food choice options that attract Muslims in an open food court in a mall or at a halaal market, which is organized once a month to promote local vendors. A variety of products are available ranging from gluten-free and vegetarian options to fast food burgers, chips, and pizzas, as well as fruit-based and ice cream desserts. I would choose this setting as opposed to a mosques food fair due to the availability of healthier eating options. Furthermore, the mosque setting would be unsuitable due to the obligation to purchase food for the sake of fundraising. Due to the risk of under-reporting and self-bias that can occur in other methods, the naturalistic observation is ideal as it is a direct observation of eating behavior. Eating behavior is influenced by social factors (Meule & Vögele, 203), and eating out is particularly popular among young adults (Al-Thani & Khaled, 208). However, the attendees of food markets vary in age, therefore it would be easier to study a random sample as opposed to singling out particular age groups to observe.