PSY 3001 W1 Assignment Case Studies
PSY 3001 W1 Assignment Case Studies
A case study is an in-depth study of one person, group, or event. In a case study, nearly every aspect of the subject’s life and history is analyzed to seek patterns and causes of behavior. Case studies can be used in a variety of fields including psychology, medicine, education, anthropology, political science, and social work.
The hope is that learning gained from studying one case can be generalized to many others. Unfortunately, case studies tend to be highly subjective and it is sometimes difficult to generalize results to a larger population.
While case studies focus on a single individual or group, they follow a format that is similar to other types of psychology writing. If you are writing a case study, it is important to follow the rules of APA format.
Benefits and Limitations
A case study can have both strengths and weaknesses. Researchers must consider these pros and cons before deciding if this type of study is appropriate for their needs.
- Allows researchers to collect a great deal of information
- Give researchers the chance to collect information on rare or unusual cases
- Allows researchers to develop hypotheses that can be explored in experimental research
On the negative side, a case study:
- Cannot necessarily be generalized to the larger population
- Cannot demonstrate cause and effect
- May not be scientifically rigorous
- Can lead to bias
Researchers may choose to perform a case study if they are interested in exploring a unique or recently discovered phenomenon. The insights gained from such research can then help the researchers develop additional ideas and study questions that might then be explored in future studies.