case study examples psychology

case study examples psychology

The Importance of Case Study Examples in Psychology

1. Introduction

Case studies are highly informative and target consumers of psychological services. A professional will not seek guidance from another professional who lacks knowledge or experience in a specific area of study. A case study is the next best thing to on-the-job training, as it follows a person through a problem from beginning to solution. Medical patients have always sought care from highly knowledgeable doctors, and the connection between medical therapy and psychology therapy is becoming a common practice. Therefore, it is assumed that medical practitioners.

This paper will also evaluate the benefits and pitfalls of using case studies as a research method. It will help determine the reliability of case study findings, whether the correct information is provided in relation to the research being carried out, and if these findings can be generalized to a wider population. This is in comparison to experimental studies, where the research method is conducted on a more professional level and the information must be verified and replicated. However, the high control of variables in an experimental study can make the findings seem artificial compared to real-world situations, which is not the case with case studies.

Case studies are often used in areas of psychology such as clinical and counseling psychology, which typically deal with a client population. The case study provides an actual real-life experience, focusing on a specific example of a problem, therapy, and the outcome. Because of their use of real-life situations, case studies are an important part of the psychology curriculum and are developed in various ways.

2. Benefits of Case Study Examples in Psychology

Although modern ethics have changed in regard to what is deemed acceptable for psychological research, it cannot be argued that cases like the one above involving H.M. have been both informative and influential in the development of psychological theoretical thought and methodology. The content of psychological displayed through behaviors and decisions has often been a sufficient case study in itself, offering a basis of theory for psychological research. Case studies of clinical, abnormal, and developmental psychology were fundamental in developing broad generalizations and principles said to be the goal of psychological research. With constant changes of behaviors and outcomes, often results of aggression and hostility, there is much to be learned from adverse human experience in environments contrasting to what is ideal.

As stated above, behaviorism was useful to start understanding human behavior, but it would have been incorrect to exclude the cognitive and emotive qualities inherent in the subject. It was during the time of transitions between behaviorism to cognitivism where a famous case involving one H.M. had pondered the thoughts of psychological researchers. H.M. was an epileptic patient whose epilepsy could not be treated by medication where surgery was the only option. The surgeons had removed the hippocampus portion of the brain on both sides attempting a neural cure. Post-operation, H.M. was plagued with anterograde amnesia where he was unable to commit anything to long-term memory.

Through social work case studies, the usage of the psychology of human behavior and experience with countless and changing contingencies will be justified, not leaving out the scientific method in its full context. An expressive human behavior, using its adaptive qualities only started to be noticed in the mid-1970s when life’s different experiences with constant and changing affects were deemed classified by social learning theories. This was a good time for behaviorism due to its effectiveness and dependability, and introspective sorts of behavior were discouraged. This experimental phase lasted through the late 1980s where the cognitive qualities of human behavior were under speculation to present times where postmodern behavior and its relative complexity using evolutionary theory have begun to take shape.

3. Types of Case Study Examples in Psychology

Psychology is the science of behavior and mind, including conscious and unconscious phenomena, as well as feeling and thought. It is an academic and applied discipline which involves the scientific study of mental functions and behaviors. To analyze these behaviors and mental activities, researchers utilize the case study method to test the most legitimate explanations thus far on the cause of disorders. Case studies are intensive, systematic investigations of a single individual, group, community, or an occasion. It is a method of exploration usually used in clinical areas to obtain a full and detailed account of the clients (p.60). The case study method is designed to provide a greater insight into the ways in which the human mind works. These studies do not provide causal evidence; however, they often lead to further investigation, therefore they are a great method of developing and testing theories. These investigations are an in-depth study of one person, with the aim of gaining data on all aspects of their life in order to diagnose from a psychological and psychiatric point of view, to understand people with the same issue more effectively, often with the aim of applying this understanding to a wider population (p.56). Explanatory case studies are often used as a tool to explaining causal links in theory testing, as they allow for the full utilization of the current best explanations on a phenomenon to be tested. These are often used in the understanding of certain mental health issues. The foremost aim and in-depth analysis of these case studies often lead to hypothesis and generation of theories which moves Psychology on the other social sciences (p.63). An intrinsic case study is undertaken when a researcher has a personal interest in the case. The aim is to gain a better understanding through comparison. This type of case study aims in identification of causal factors where others also look for change outcome.

4. How to Conduct a Case Study in Psychology

There are three main types of descriptive method: observational methods, case-study methods, and survey methods. In defining behavior, it is essential that the target behavior is as specifically defined as possible. This is usually achieved by breaking the behavior down into its component parts. This level of detail is usually not possible using a survey or naturalistic observation, so a more controlled environment will be required, for example, a laboratory. The case study is the most detailed of the descriptive methods. It involves an in-depth study of a single individual or a small group of individuals. This method is often used in clinical areas such as psychology, psychiatry, and medicine, and the aim is to get a thorough picture of the details and processes of the individual being studied. Case studies are often conducted on individuals with the aim of generalizing the findings to a larger population, and a further aim is that the findings will aid the development of hypotheses for experimentation.

5. Conclusion

This essay has discussed the importance of case study methods and provided practical information about how they can be conducted and analyzed. It is clear that case studies are valuable in psychology, providing a detailed analysis of a person or group of people. A single case may be very revealing and can provide new and important insights, which help in the development of future research. Only through exact and detailed consideration of a phenomenon is it possible to develop new theories and advances in scientific knowledge. As such, it is necessary to make use of all tools available; case research is no exception. The most important aspect of case study method in psychology, other than its intensive approach, is the improvement and refinement of psychological research. A good case study is one that is attempting to generate a theory. With the abundance of speculation and misinformation, case studies are often used as a form of propaganda. Though sometimes true, case studies are often small in scale and do not persist through to publication. An attempt to generate a theory will change the nature of case study research within psychology and will help to make case research a more widely accepted approach. With the development of online databases and the digitization of academic journals, public access to case studies will increase, and a concerted effort to publish studies with negative results would also be beneficial to the discipline. Case study research is of value to the psychology research in the same way that clinical or longitudinal research is, and it is about time psychology and psychological research epistemology reflect that.