Case Studies

Question 1

● What is a case study?

Answer 1

An in-depth study of one person or small group

Question 2

● What type of data do case studies often collect?

Answer 2

Qualitative data

Question 3

● What is one method used in case studies?

Answer 3

Interviews

Question 4

● What is another method used in case studies?

Answer 4

Observations

Question 5

● Can case studies use experiments?

Answer 5

Yes

Question 6

● What is retrospective data?

Answer 6

Data about past events

Question 7

● Why are case studies useful?

Answer 7

They study unusual behaviour

Question 8

● What is one weakness of case studies?

Answer 8

Low population validity

Question 9

● Why might case studies be difficult to replicate?

Answer 9

They are unique and unrepeatable

Question 10

● What type of validity do case studies often lack?

Answer 10

Internal validity

Question 11

● What is a strength of combining methods in case studies?

Answer 11

Data triangulation

Question 12

● What is memory decay?

Answer 12

Forgetting details over time

Question 13

● What is population validity?

Answer 13

How well findings generalise to other people

Question 14

● What is internal validity?

Answer 14

How accurately a study measures what it intends

Question 15

● What is qualitative data?

Answer 15

Non-numerical, descriptive data

Question 16

● What does triangulation mean?

Answer 16

Using multiple methods to study the same thing

Question 17

● What is a strength of case studies?

Answer 17

Provides detailed insights

Question 18

● Why might case study findings be difficult to generalise?

Answer 18

Small, unique samples

Question 19

● What is the focus of case study research?

Answer 19

Understanding complex behaviour

Question 20

● Who else might researchers gather information from in a case study?

Answer 20

Family and friends

Question 21

▲ When might a case study be used?

Answer 21

When the behaviour is rare or unusual

Question 22

▲ Why are case studies useful in brain research?

Answer 22

They provide detail that experiments can’t

Question 23

▲ What kind of behaviour is often studied in case studies?

Answer 23

Unusual or abnormal behaviour

Question 24

▲ Why can combining interviews and observations increase reliability?

Answer 24

It provides different perspectives

Question 25

▲ How do interviews contribute to a case study?

Answer 25

They give personal accounts and insights

Question 26

▲ Why do case studies often use multiple data sources?

Answer 26

To get a full picture of behaviour

Question 27

▲ Why might a case study include both qualitative and quantitative data?

Answer 27

To explore and measure behaviour

Question 28

▲ Why are case studies useful for theory development?

Answer 28

They can generate new hypotheses

Question 29

▲ What is one way researchers improve validity in case studies?

Answer 29

Using triangulation

Question 30

▲ Why might a case study be more ethical than an experiment?

Answer 30

It observes existing conditions without manipulation

Question 31

▲ What is one practical use of case study findings?

Answer 31

They help understand complex real-world problems

Question 32

▲ How can retrospective accounts affect validity?

Answer 32

They may be inaccurate or biased

Question 33

▲ What makes it hard to replicate a case study?

Answer 33

Unique circumstances and people

Question 34

▲ Why is low population validity a problem in case studies?

Answer 34

Findings might not apply to others

Question 35

▲ Why might qualitative data be difficult to analyse?

Answer 35

It's open to interpretation

Question 36

✪ Why do case studies have low internal validity?

Answer 36

Many variables are uncontrolled

Question 37

✪ Why is generalising from case studies difficult?

Answer 37

Small sample sizes are not representative

Question 38

✪ How does retrospective data reduce validity?

Answer 38

It may be inaccurate due to memory decay

Question 39

✪ Why might researcher bias be a problem in case studies?

Answer 39

Interpretation of data can be subjective

Question 40

✪ How can triangulation improve the credibility of case study findings?

Answer 40

It supports findings with multiple sources

Question 41

✪ Why might case studies be low in reliability?

Answer 41

They are hard to repeat under the same conditions

Question 42

✪ Why are case studies criticised despite providing rich detail?

Answer 42

Findings may not be applicable to others

Question 43

✪ Why can using only qualitative data limit the usefulness of a case study?

Answer 43

It lacks numerical evidence for comparison

Question 44

✪ What does the unique nature of case studies mean for psychological theory?

Answer 44

They may challenge or refine existing theories

Question 45

✪ How can the depth of case study data be both a strength and a weakness?

Answer 45

It provides insight but makes analysis difficult