CASE STUDIES

• WHAT IS A CASE STUDY?

  in-depth study of one person/ group/ institution/ event

  • longitudinal
  • involve a range of methods of data collection
  • idiographic
  • qualitative data
• EVALUATION OF LONGITUDINAL STUDIES?

  + more valid data

  + greater explanatory power

  + stronger real world application

  -time-consuming

  -possibly expensive

  -idiographic

  -possible ethical issues
• EVALUATION OF CASE STUDIES?

  + ecological validity

  + rich detail

  + research opportunities

  + understanding typical functioning

  -population validity

  -unique situations

  -difficult to replicate

  -retrospective data
• ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY?

  • high ecological validity
  • individual can be investigated in everyday settings
  • e.g. HM
  • data is reflective of real life behaviour
• RICH DETAIL?

  • rich, detailed data
  • e.g. Rutter's ROS (provided lots of detail about IQ and attachment type of infants)
  • great depth and understanding of a single individual and their behaviour
• RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES?

  • provide psychologists with important research opportunities
  • e.g. Koluchova's Czech twins study
  • investigate situation which could not be set up in an experimental way for ethical reasons
• UNDERSTANDING TYPICAL FUNCTIONING?

  • data contributes to understanding of typical functioning
  • e.g. differences in KF's digit span
  • by observing in detail, the differences in particular individuals
  • can gain greater understanding into relationship between brain and behaviour
• POPULATION VALIDITY?

  • each individual is unique with their own trauma
  • e.g. KF
  • not easily generalised to others
• UNIQUE SITUATIONS?

  • focus on unique situations
  • e.g. Rutter
  • difficult to generalise to other situations
  • due to individual differences
• DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE?

  • difficult to replicate
  • cannot improve reliability
  • e.g. Koluchova
  • lacks feature of science
  • lacks scientific credibility
• RETROSPECTIVE DATA?

  • information based on retrospective data
  • e.g. Freud (Little Hans)
  • problems with remembering details
  • some data lacks validity