What is a primary concern when conducting direct observation?

The primary concern when conducting direct observation is increased participant awareness affecting behavior. When individuals know they are being observed, it can lead to changes in their behavior, a phenomenon known as the Hawthorne effect. This awareness can compromise the authenticity of the data being collected, as people may act differently than they normally would in their natural environments due to the presence of an observer.

Maintaining ecological validity, which reflects how well the findings of the research can be generalized to real-world settings, is critical in direct observation, and participant awareness can significantly undermine this aspect by altering the natural behavior being studied. This concern highlights the necessity for researchers to consider strategies that minimize participants' awareness of observation, such as unobtrusive measures or using technology that can record behavior without alerting the subjects.