Case studies in crim (eval) Flashcards
Case studies in crim (eval)
Features
Features of a case study
Often a specific individual or group that has had a specific event to happen to them
Rare or unusual behaviour studies on individuals where it would be unethical to recreate the possible cause of this behavior for a lab study as harm usually may need to be done
• they are a longitudinal study: which means that they can see changes in the development or effects of the treatment of the case
• they are usually unique individuals or a small group, meaning they are idiographic as they are focused on individuals with individual experiences
They are not nomofthetic which would be a study on a large group of people to analyze quantitative data and establish general laws
• qualitative and quantitative data can be collected from case studies such as: interviews and the number of crimes or the rate of recivitism or the metabolic rates of certain cells
• triangulation of methods: cross referencing results from different methods to come to a conclusion
such as: interviews, brain scans, observations, psychometric personality tests, cognitive functions, IQ test, mental health investment
• they take place in the naturalistic setting: such as the cases home or a prison
• they have a formulative case history
Case studies in crim (eval)
Case studies vs experements
CA
sample: Usually a few individuals specifically picked due to unreplicable experiences or behaviours
Vs
Ex
Often just many volunteers who are very similar in terms of behaviour in order to establish a result
CA
They are longitudinal and have Case History this is to gain extra insight on participants and note patterns in their behavior and conduct new and different methods of studying for triangulation
Vs
Ex
Rarely stay is in contact with participants after the experiment has concluded and if they do this is only usually to collect quantitative data via questionnaires not to conduct new study methods such as what would have occur in a case study
CA
Due to the unique participant with their individual ideographic experiences it would be impossible to find another individual with 100% similar experiences or behavior
therefore it cannot be replicated reducing it to reliability
And the only way to get close to being similar would be too unethically replicate the theorized cause of this behavior such as an accent which would of course be incredibly unethical and cause physical harm to participants
VS
Ex
Participants are not incredibly unique so they can be replicated due to having a generalizable sample and a standardized procedure making reliable
Case studies in crim (eval)
Strengths of Case studys ig
• they are ethical as often replicating the individual experiences such as crime or brain damage that caused the case to these behavior may cause harm to the participant which would be unethical
therefore using case studies is more ethical as this does not need to be done
• they have longitudinal validity is case studies often take place over a long period of time
so data recorded over time and can reveal patterns and changes and behavior giving them longitudinal validity
• they can provide new research discoveries that wouldn’t be done otherwise due to the unique experiences and behaviors of these individuals during a case study
• they usually can do qualitative interviews and quantitative tests and IQ test or brain scan
this good for validity or smth lol
Case studies in crim (eval)
Weaknesses of Case studys ig lol
• they have low internal validity is specific case studies are unique possibly due to Brain Damage and due to Brain Damage not ever affecting only one area of the brain it can be difficult to isolate the root of this behavior meaning case studies are not able to establish cause an effect truly have good internal validity
• theologian reliability due to participants having individual differences such as Brain Damage which are completely unique to them therefore it is completely impossible to find any one within the general population who has exactly the same experiences or brain damage meaning that they cannot be generalized to the whole population
• they are not replicatable due to experiences and damages to the brain not being 100% similar among other people therefore the behavior that is being studied in these individuals can’t be studied in the same way in other individuals as they do not share similar dysfunctions or experiences
Lowering their reliability
Case studies in crim (eval)
Examples of case studies in criminal psychology
Christian and Hubinette?
Charles Whitman
James Fallon
Phineas Gage
Ed Gein
Case studies in crim (eval)
Unique individuals / small group +/-
Unique individuals / small group
Individuals who have obtained an injury EG: Charles Whitman
Those who have committed violent offences such as murderers
This may help to find the cause of their behavior
Those who have committed unusual crimes
This may help find a treatment
+
• this allows us to investigate otherwise unethical studies as we cannot ethically recreate for example a brain injury during a study so by using a unique individual who has this experience or brain damage we can reduce the Ethical impacts of the study
–
• people with brain injuries aren’t representative of the general population and therefore can’t be generalized to the general all prison population as these case studies are unique and it is unlikely that somebody will be 100% similar in experience or functioning to be able for the results to be applied to
• also criminals as a group are impossible to generalize as there are so many different types of criminals and crimes
As there motivation and experiences for doing said crime would always be different
Therefore overall meaning that case studies whether they be due to experience, brain damage or even just the criminal cannot be generalized to the general population
Case studies in crim (eval)
Qualitative and quantitative data +
Qualitative and quantitative data
Qualitative data = four example an interview with the offender trying to find out the reasons for them offending, their thoughts and attitudes (specific data)
Quantitative data = such as brain scans and blood tests and IQ tests and number of offenses and receiving rates ( numerical data)
+
• by collecting both qualitative and quantitative data it balances out the two’s weaknesses
• while qualitative data is reliable and objective? and unbiased in terms of analyzing it is limited on the amount of information that it can provide and is objective method of data collection
• while qualitative data provides a lot of information however maybe bias in its evaluation it is also objectivley the ppts thoughts but may be subjective in its analysation
• therefore by using both it results in a own bias and objective sources of data which provide a lot of information
• such as quantitative brain activity and qualitative criminals thoughts and motives
• this therefore gives case studies a degree of internal validity as the types of data being collected together negates the effects of bias and subjectivity therefore giving them internal validity
Case studies in crim (eval)
Triangulation of methods +
Triangulation of methods
• cross referencing the results of different methods to come to a conclusion such as colon interviews, brain scans, observations, psychometric personality test, cognitive functions, IQ test, mental health assessment
Perhaps even questions about their childhood to find out about experiences
+
• this promotes further research by the prospect of cross referencing new types of methods of studying to cross reference and find a conclusion
• this conclusion will be supported by multiple collection methods such as psychometric personality tests and brain scans giving the conclusion a higher internal validity due to being more objective and being able to greater establish effect
Case studies in crim (eval)
Longitudinal data +/-
Longitudinal data
Data gathered over a long period of time such as over years and years of studying this individual or group of people
This is to assess to see if there is a change in behavior over time
To notice a passened with behavior and recivitism
+
• this allows for easy assessment of behavioral and developmental trends and the only way to track recividism and behavioral changes
Set for allowing for more data to be collected making the case studies have a more internally valid conclusion and evaluation
—
• overtime due to the increased contact with the participant a relationship may be built this may lead to bias when evaluating data and coming to a conclusion
As they cannot look at what evaluate and data objectively therefore reducing the validity of the judgment and conclusion and the full reducing the overall internal validity of the case study
Case studies in crim (eval)
Naturalistic setting +/-
Naturalistic setting
Such as taking place in the criminals house or a prison
Participants are more likely to Act Naturally and not show demand characteristics
It also may reduce bias somewhere I don’t know
And if rehabilitation and treatment is taking place it may be taking place in a rehabilitation center
+
• case studies have a high ecological validity due to taking place in the participants natural setting
For example the case studies house or prison
Therefore any result from these studies can be applied to the case study behavior in a real life situation
Therefore giving case studies high ecological validity
—
• a naturalistic environment means there is a lack of control over extraneous and confounding variables such as in a prison loud noises in the background which may distract the participants of the case study and affect the results/ data
This therefore reduces the link between cause and effect further resulting in the case study having low internal validity
Case studies in crim (eval)
Formulative case history +/-
Formulative Case History
• takes into account previous behaviors
• retrospective data
• it can be used to identify possible causes and treatments
• this is done by finding patterns in behavior and therefore it may even be able to predict future behaviors allowing for a treatment to be found
• such as a history of previous substance abuse or in Charles Whitman’s case poor childhood experiences
+
• holistic, due to knowing the case as a person it is more likely that a successful treatment will be developed, good rehabilitation
—
• retrospective data means that the data which may be from peers may be inaccurate and therefore making the data invalid
Meaning a suitable/ correct treatment may not be given
An example of this would be the reports from Phineas gauges family about his behavior before his accent being kind and caring which may have just been social desirability bias and they could have just been lying
Invalidating the link between the prefrontal cortex and personality and Amygdala inhibitions
