Covert Participant Observation Previous Page Access
The ability to gain access to groups that would not normally allow themselves to be studied is a useful strength of this method since it allows sociologists to investigate behaviour that is normally hidden from both researchers and the wider public.

Using covert participation, therefore, a researcher can study illegal behaviour (a criminal gang, for example), deviant behaviour and various forms of "secret" behaviour. Investigating secretive behaviour...

"Freemasons", for example, are a secretive organisation who admit (male) members only by invitation (a problem here, of course, might be how to get yourself invited to join such a group in the first place...).