Participant Observations The researcher may play a variety of roles within a case situation and may actually participate in the events being studied The researcher(if an insider) may be able to gain access to events or groups that are otherwise inaccessible to investigation However, researchers may be biased An insider-researcher cannot also be an independent outsider They could become a supporter or defender Having both an outsider and an insider in the same research team can be an advantage11 Participant Observations • The researcher may play a variety of roles within a case situation and may actually participate in the events being studied. • The researcher (if an insider) may be able to gain access to events or groups that are otherwise inaccessible to investigation. • However, researchers may be biased. – An insider-researcher cannot also be an independent outsider. – They could become a supporter or defender. • Having both an outsider and an insider in the same research team can be an advantage