Case studies
Specification: Case studies.
The purpose of a case study is to provide a detailed analysis of an individual, establishment or real‐life event. A case study does not refer to the way in which the research was conducted, as case studies can use experimental or non‐experimental methods to collect data. For example, a researcher may want to interview the participants, provide a questionnaire to their family or friends and even conduct a memory test under controlled conditions to provide a rich and detailed overview of human behaviour.
Case studies are often used where there is a rare behaviour being investigated which does not arise often enough to warrant a larger study being conducted. A case study allows data to be collected and analysed on something that psychologists have very little understanding of, and can therefore be the starting point for further, more in‐depth research.
Examples of famous case studies in psychology include: HM, Phineas Gage, Little Albert and Little Hans. Likewise, psychologists have studied important world events such as the 9/11 terrorist attack in America and the riots which began in London and spread throughout the UK in 2011.
Evaluation of case studies
There are methodological issues associated with the use of case studies. By only studying one individual, an isolated event or a small group of people it is very difficult to generalise any findings to the wider population since results are likely to be so unique. This therefore creates issues with external validity as psychologists are unable to conclude with confidence that anyone beyond the ‘case’ will behave in the same way under similar circumstances, thus lowering population validity.
An issue in case studies, particularly where qualitative methods are used, is that the researcher’s own subjectivity may pose a problem. In the case study of Little Hans, for example, Freud developed an entire theory based around what he observed. There was no scientific or experimental evidence to support his suggestions from his case study. This means that a major problem with his research is that we cannot be sure that he objectively reported his findings. Consequently, a major limitation with case studies is that research bias and subjectivity can interfere with the validity of the findings/conclusions.
A strength of the case study approach is that it offers the opportunity to unveil rich, detailed information about a situation. These unique insights can often be overlooked in situations where there is only the manipulation of one variable in order to measure its effect on another. Further to this, case studies can be used in circumstances which would not be ethical to examine experimentally. For example, the case study of Genie (Rymer, 1993) allowed researchers to understand the long‐term effects of failure to form an attachment which they could not do with a human participant unless it naturally occurred.
Possible exam questions
Researchers often use a range of techniques to gather information in case studies of individuals, institutions or events. Suggest one technique which the psychologist could use in a case study. (1 mark)
Define the key term ‘case study’. (2 marks)
Explain one limitation of using a case study as a method of investigation. (2 marks)
Explain one strength of using a case study methodology in psychology. (3 marks)
Scarlett has an incredible memory. She can see a pack of playing cards only once and then recall the order correctly. A psychologist was interested in investigating this phenomenon further by focusing on Scarlett and her amazing memory in different situations and contexts.
The scenario illustrated above is an example of a case study methodology. Explain one strength and one weakness of this research method. (4 marks)
Evaluate the use of case studies in psychological research. Refer to evidence in your answer. (6 marks)