case studies and content analysis Flashcards
What is a case study?
An in-depth investigation, description and analysis of a single individual, group, institution or event.
What type of data is usually collected about a case study?
Qualitative data.
Give an example of someone we would conduct a case study on?
Someone with a rare disorder or an unusual individual.
Give some strengths of a case study.
Case studies are able to offer rich, detailed insights that may shed light on very unusual and atypical forms of behaviour. This may be preferred than more ‘superficial’ forms of data that could be collected from a questionnaire or experiment.
Case studies also contribute to our understanding of ‘normal’ behaviour
Case studies may generate hypotheses for future study and one solitary contradictory evidence may lead to the revision of an entire theory.
Give some limitations of case studies.
Generalisation of findings is an issue when dealing with such small sample sizes. The information which makes it into the final report is based on the subjective selection and interpretation of the researcher.
Define content analysis
A research technique that enables the indirect study of behaviour by examining communications that people produce e.g spoken interactions or texts, emails, TV, film etc. The aim is to summarise and describe this communication in a systematic way so that overall conclusions can be drawn.
What is the stage of content analysis which involves quantitative data?
Coding
What is coding in content analysis?
The stage of content analysis in which the data is studied and analysed by identifying each example of the chosen categories. This may involve counting up the number of times a particular word or phrase appears in the text to produce a form of quantitative data.
Give the step of content analysis which involves qualitative data.
Thematic analysis.
What is thematic analysis?
Involves identifying implicit or explicit ideas within data to identify themes.
Strengths of content analysis.
Content analysis is useful as it can get around many of the ethical issues normally associated with psychological research. Much of the material that an analyst might want to study will already exist within the public domain therefore there are no issues with obtaining permission for example.
Content analysis is also flexible in the sense that it may produce both qualitative and quantitative data depending on the aims of the research.
Limitations of content analysis.
People tend to be studied indirectly as part of content analysis so the communication they produce is usually analysed outside of the context within it occurred.
