case studies

• Case studies

  • Provide a detailed and in-depth analysis of an individual, group, institution or event
  • Usually using qualitative data
  • Longitudinal = take place over a long period of time
  • Unusual cases = eg person with a rare disease
  • typical cases = eg elderly person’s recollections of their childhood
• case studies evaluation

  • Strength = rich detailed insight
  • Increasing validity of data collected (Instead of an experiment that assess just one aspect of behaviour, for example)
  • Strength = enables study of unusual behaviour
  • Some behaviours/conditions are very rare (eg HM) and don’t be studied using other methods
  • Limitation = prone to researcher bias
  • Conclusions are based on the subjective interpretation of the researcher and personal accounts
  • May reduced the validity of the study
  • Limitation = small samples
  • Sample may be on individual/event with unique characteristics
  • Makes it difficult to make generalisations => low external validity