what is the difference between observation and inference?

Answer 1

observation is reporting only what you saw fact by fact.

X picked up this and then did that

inference is interpeting what the purpose of what you saw is.. II saw X pick up this and then try to ...with it.


one is facts the other is inferring what they intended

Answer 2

here are examples to help learn the concepts.

observation:
you watch a movie and see the ending.

inference:
you read a synopsis, then, from that, infer or reason out the ending.


as it goes for psychology, observation is as it means, looking and recording things as they are presented, usually this branches out to other methods, and inference is much the same with the added bonus of interpreting the data that you collect via observing or other means. they're not exclusive, they mix here and there.

Answer 3

Observation:

1 the action or process of closely monitoring. 2 the ability to notice significant details.

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/observation?view=uk

an act of recognizing and noting a fact or occurrence often involving measurement with instruments

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=observation

inference:

a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/inference?view=uk

the act of passing from one proposition, statement, or judgment considered as true to another whose truth is believed to follow from that of the former b : the act of passing from statistical sample data to generalizations (as of the value of population parameters) usually with calculated degrees of certainty

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=inference

Answer 4

the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation

Answer 5

One means its a friend and the other means its the mother-in-law.