Of course, this effort to hide one's work may restrict the range of observation. A question of research ethics emerges immediately. The answer is complex, but it depends on the way in which the unsuspecting individuals are involved, the extent to which they may be affected, whether recordings are made, and so forth. Both methods, overt and covert, are used with animals. Of course, the most celebrated naturalistic studies are those of Charles Darwin, whose trip aboard the Beagle enabled him to make observations of plants and animals around the globe.
Naturalistic observation serves two purposes.
It provides an excellent description of certain phenomena, and it can be a rich source of hypotheses. Figure 2-1 Observation of Animals. Dian Fossey conducted extensive studies of wild gorillas in the mountains of Rwanda, Africa. Spending months at the edge of their territory, until they were comfortable in her presence, she gained their confidence by imitating their vocalizations and adopting a submissive posture. Ultimately, she assembled a large mass of information on gorilla habits and characteristcs.