Observer

A human observer is a person who engages in observation or watches something.

  • Humans observe themselves, each other and the world around them.
  • The act of observation allows us to develop our understanding of ourselves and interact with the world.
  • When an observer sees something they are engaging in visual perception.
  • An observer can take many forms:
    • A person watching an ocean sunset or the sky at night.
    • A person studying a baby’s face.
    •  A person studying something they can’t see by collecting data from an instrument or machine.
    • A person conducting an experiment in a laboratory setting.
  • In everyday life, an observer feels involved in the things they observe.
  • Observers can have biases and subjective interpretations, which may affect their observations.
  • A scientific observer is someone who avoids making unnecessary changes to the object of their observations.
Related diagrams

Each diagram below can be viewed on its own page with a full explanation.

References
  • A human observer is a person who engages in observation or watches something.
  • Humans observe themselves, each other and the world around them.
  • The act of observation allows us to develop our understanding of ourselves and interact with the world.
  • When an observer sees something they are engaging in visual perception.
  • An observer can take many forms:
    • A person watching an ocean sunset or the sky at night.
    • A person studying a baby’s face.
    •  A person studying something they can’t see by collecting data from an instrument or machine.
    • A person conducting an experiment in a laboratory setting.