In a study using naturalistic observation, which of the following is a key feature?

Naturalistic observation is a research method in psychology where researchers observe subjects in their natural environment without any manipulation or intervention from the researcher. The key feature of this method is that it allows for the study of behavior as it naturally occurs, leading to more authentic and generalizable findings regarding how individuals behave in real-world settings.

The absence of manipulation or intervention means that the researcher is not influencing the context or the behavior of the subjects being observed, which helps to avoid biases and confounding variables that might arise in a more controlled experimental setting. This approach is particularly valuable for studying behaviors that could be affected by artificial conditions, providing insights that might not be captured in a laboratory environment.

Other options do not reflect the essence of naturalistic observation. Control over environmental variables and manipulation of the independent variable are characteristic of experimental designs, where researchers systematically alter conditions to examine effects. Random selection of participants is more relevant to ensuring the representativeness and generalizability of samples, rather than the observational method itself. Therefore, observing in a natural setting without intervention is the definitive feature that distinguishes naturalistic observation.