Case Studies

What are case studies?

In-depth investigation, description and analysis of an individual, event, organisation or group. They may involve the analysis of unusual individuals or events or concentrate on more 'typical' cases

e.g: Genie the "Feral Child"

They will usually produce Qualitative data. Researchers will construct a case history of the individual concerned, perhaps using interviews, observations, questionnaires or a combination of all of these. The person may be subject to experimental testing which may produce quantitative data

Case studies tend to take place over a long period of time (called longitudinal) and may involve gathering additional information from family and friends as well as the person themselves

What are some strengths of case studies?

- rich in detail

- can create high levels of validity

- studies abnormal psychology

- may lead to interesting findings that conflict w/ current theories

- longitudinal

What are some weaknesses of case studies?

- little control and its difficult to confidently establish any casual relationships between variables

- poor reliability due to unusual nature, replication is unlikely

- small sample size makes it hard to generalise

- longitudinal, participant may drop out over time

- time consuming