The limitations of this method are many.

First and foremost this is a descriptive method, not an explanatory one. That is, without the controlled conditions of the laboratory, conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships cannot be drawn. Behavior can only be described, not explained.

This method can also take a great amount of time. Researchers may have to wait for some time to observe the behavior or phenomenon of interest.

Further limitations include the difficulty of observing behavior without disrupting it and the difficulty of coding results in a manner appropriate for statistical analysis.

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