Research Methods- Case Studies

Question 1

Case studies

Answer 1

Range of data collected from an individual, group or institution. Manly data is collected using interviews and observations, but content analysis can be performed on written evidence and even experimental techniques can be included.

Question 2

Case studies are defined by…

Answer 2

Case studies are defined by the high level of detail collected on the individual/group

Question 3

Case studies are conducted on:

Answer 3

Psychologically unusual individuals (e.g. Clive Wearing)

Question 4

Examples of what case studies are conducted on:

Answer 4

• Unusual events (e.g. a violent football riot)

• Organisational practices (e.g. teaching at an outstanding school.)

• Typical individuals within a demographic. (e.g. a group of working-class boys)

Question 5

Qualitative data’s main form of data collection

Answer 5

Qualitative data (non-numerical data/ data in the form of words) is the main form of data collected due to the use of interviews.

Question 6

Quantitative data’s main form of data collection

Answer 6

quantitative data can be included with the use of experimental techniques, observations and content analysis.

Question 7

Snapshot

Answer 7

Case studies that look at behaviour over a short period of time are known as a snapshot.

Question 8

Longitudinal case studies

Answer 8

follow up participants over many years. These show changes in the behaviour of participants over time, however are difficult to continue over the long term due to funding and even researchers dying of old age!

Question 9

Use in clinical psychology

Answer 9

Use in clinical psychology: the unusual behaviour of individuals with brain damage indicate the area that is damaged is in some way related to that behavioural function.

Question 10

Example of Use in clinical psychology

Answer 10

Example: Tan (Louis Leborgne) was only able to communicate using the word Tan, his other functions such as intelligence and the ability to understand language was left unaffected. This case study helped to identify Broca’s area, the location in the left hemisphere that is responsible for speech production.

Question 11

Use in psychodynamic psychology:

Answer 11

Freud used a number of case studies including his own clients. He used these to develop and support his theory of psychodynamics.

Question 12

Example of Use in psychodynamic psychology:

Answer 12

Example: Freud suggested little Hanz’s fear of horses represented a fear of his father and used this case study as evidence in support of the Oedipus complex.
Use in childhood psychology: Children with unusual upbringings can be used as evidence for theories on childhood development.
Example: Genie was deprived of care until the age of 13. Despite the best efforts of carers and psychologists, Genie never managed to develop normal communication and social skills Genes case supports the idea of a critical period in development.

Question 13

Use in childhood psychology:

Answer 13

Children with unusual upbringings can be used as evidence for theories on childhood development.

Question 14

Example Use in childhood psychology:

Answer 14

Example: Genie was deprived of care until the age of 13. Despite the best efforts of carers and psychologists, Genie never managed to develop normal communication and social skills Genes case supports the idea of a critical period in development.

Question 15

Evaluation
Case studies

✅

Answer 15

• As case studies are in-depth, mostly qualitative investigations, the range of data collected results in realism. This holistic approach to conducting research is favoured by humanist psychologists, arguing the depth of detail gives highly valid insights and are a true reflection of a person’s experience.

• Often the only way to investigate very unusual or extreme human behaviour, this research cant be replicated in the lab often for ethical reasons. So if it wasn’t for the case study method, some research wouldn’t exist at all.
• The results of one unusual case study can upend an established theory.

• Interviews often form a large part of case studies, these depend on memory and these memories may be inaccurate. Also the subjects of a case study may lie to make themselves look good to the researcher (social desirability bias).
• Findings from one unusual individual’s case study cannot be generalised, there may be other unknown factors that have resulted in a behaviour.
• As the subjects in case studies are unique, exact replications to check for the reliability of findings are not possible.
• Case studies can suffer from researcher bias. researchers decide which findings to include and exclude when writing up, potentially only including data that confirms a bias. The researcher may also lose the ability to think objectively about the subject of the case study due to working with them closely ror an extendea perioa or ume

Question 16

Evaluation
Case studies

❌

Answer 16

• Interviews often form a large part of case studies, these depend on memory and these memories may be inaccurate. Also the subjects of a case study may lie to make themselves look good to the researcher (social desirability bias).

• Findings from one unusual individual’s case study cannot be generalised, there may be other unknown factors that have resulted in a behaviour.

• As the subjects in case studies are unique, exact replications to check for the reliability of findings are not possible.

• Case studies can suffer from researcher bias. researchers decide which findings to include and exclude when writing up, potentially only including data that confirms a bias. The researcher may also lose the ability to think objectively about the subject of the case study due to working with them closely for an extended period of time

Question 17

Real life application evaluation of case studies
✅

Answer 17

Case studies can be used to generate a hypothesis that can then be tested experimentally. Such as testing for the existence of Broca’s area with the use of highly controlled FMRI brain scans on large numbers of participants.