People watching is the act of observing people and their interactions, usually without their knowledge. This differs from voyeurism in that it does not relate to sex or sexual gratification. Though often a casual hobby, it can be used formally as a means for sociological, anthropological or psychological research.
Naturalistic observation is a more formal way of describing people watching in an academic sense, and involves observing subjects in their natural habitat, taking great care to avoid interfering with the behavior being observed. People watching is often accompanied by eavesdropping, surreptitiously listening to the private conversation of others without their knowledge.
The Daily Omnivore 
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