Observational techniques are used to look at the behavior of the test taker, sometimes during the examination and sometimes in naturalistic situations. In behavior assessment self-observation is sometimes used; the client is asked to keep a log or diary of her behavior. Situational tests require raters to observe individual behavior during the test.
In marketing and the social sciences, observational research (or field research) is a social research technique that involves the direct observation of phenomena in their natural setting. This differentiates it from experimental research in which a quasi-artificial environment is created to control for spurious factors, and where at least one of the variables is manipulated as part of the experiment.