What kinds of issues are field researchers confronted with when it comes to the problem of adopting ...

●   Pre-existing versus created roles: Sometimes a researcher adopts an existing role in order to gain access to all areas of the site, to observe and interact with all members, to have the freedom to move around, and to balance the requirements of researcher and member; at other times a researcher creates a new role or changes an existing one.
●   Limits on the role chosen: The field roles open to a researcher are limited by ascriptive factors and physical appearance—some things can be changed, including appearance, dress, or hairstyle, as opposed to things the researcher cannot easily change such as age, race, gender, and attractiveness. Whatever the case, the researcher should be aware that his or her role is an important feature in social research, especially in relation-gaining access and the kinds of roles a researcher should adopt.
●   Normalizing social research: A field researcher not only observes and investigates members in the field but is observed and investigated by its members as well. In overt field research, members are usually at first uncomfortable with the presence of a researcher but this can be dealt with by the researcher by presenting his or her own biography, explaining field research a little at a time, appearing nonthreatening, or accepting minor deviance in the setting.