Case studies

Question 1

What is a case study?

Answer 1

A piece of research conducted on one person or a small group in-depth over a long period of time.

Question 2

Where is the case study method used within psychological approaches?

Answer 2

In the psychodynamic perspective

Question 3

Where is the case study method used within the 15 core studies?

Answer 3

• Freud’s study of Little Hans

- Thigpen and Cleckley’s study of Eve White

Question 4

What is almost always used within the case study method?

Answer 4

Interviews

Question 5

Other than interviews, what else may be used within the case study method to gather information?

Answer 5

Psychometric test, conducting physiological tests

Question 6

Give 2 strengths of the case study method.

Answer 6

• Allows us to study one person in great detail over a period of time, so we can establish origins of abnormal behaviour
• Can establish a good relationship with the participant, allowing them to open up more and tell the experimenter things they wouldn’t normally tell others, increasing validity

Question 7

Give 2 weaknesses of the case study method.

Answer 7

• Small sample (only one person or group) is tested so it’s difficult to generalise results as other people may behave differently, or the participant tested may be unique
• Experimenter bias – the experimenter may bias the behaviour of the participant to get the results they want, so results are less valid as the behaviour is fake/manipulated