Case Study
Gwendolyn Hall
Department of Psychology, Liberty University
PSY 101-B16
Professor Nathan Borret
10 May 2022
Case Study Overview
Introduction
There are several methods of scientific observations in today’s world. One and the focus of this
paper are case studies. Case studies a process or record of research in which detailed
consideration is given to the development of a particular person, group, or situation over a
period. Meaning that scientist over time conduct detailed experiments together specific details
about an object or test group. For example, a group of scientists expose a group of teenagers to a
new language and over time they start to pick up that new language like itis second nature.
Case studies are widely used in psychology and amongst the best known were the ones carried
out by Sigmund Freud, including Anna O and Little Hans.
Freud (1909a, 1909b) conducted very detailed investigations into the private lives of his patients
in an attempt to both understand and help them overcome their illnesses. Even today case
histories are one of the main methods of investigation in abnormal psychology and psychiatry.
This makes it clear that the case study is a method that should only be used by a psychologist,
therapist or psychiatrist, i.e. someone with a professional qualification.
There is an ethical issue of competence. Only someone qualified to diagnose and treat a person
can conduct a formal case study relating to atypical (i.e. abnormal) behavior or atypical
development.
The procedure used in a case study means that the researcher provides a description of the
behavior. This comes from interviews and other sources, such as observation.
The client also reports detail of events from his or her point of view. The researcher then writes
up the information from both sources above as the case study, and interprets the information.
The research may also continue for an extended period of time, so processes and developments
can be studied as they happen.
Amongst the sources of data the psychologist is likely to turn to when carrying out a case study
are observations of a person’s daily routine, unstructured interviews with the participant herself
(and with people who know her), diaries, personal notes (e.g. letters, photographs, notes) or
official document (e.g. case notes, clinical notes, appraisal reports).
The case study method often involves simply observing what happens to, or reconstructing ‘the
case history’ of a single participant or group of individuals (such as a school class or a specific
