Case Studies in Psychology Designing, Conducting and Reporting Cases
Chinchu C Psychologist, Trainer & Research Consultant
Association for Social Change, Evolution and Transformation(ASCENT)
Courtesy: Zucker, Donna M., "How to Do Case Study Research" (2009). College of Nursing Faculty Publication Series. 2. http://scholarworks.umass.edu/nursing_faculty_pubs/2
Why Case Study?
This is Matthew Ricard, known as the “Happiest person on earth” How would you ‘study’ him ?
Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
…systematic inquiry into an event or a set of related events which aims to describe and explain the phenomenon of interest (Bromley, 1990. p.302)
The unit of analysis can vary from an individual to a corporation, or an event
Single or multiple cases can be included in a study
documentation, archival records, interviews, direct observations, participant observation and physical artefacts (Yin, 1994)
Case Study
Intrinsic case studies :The cases in intrinsic case studies are chosen because they are interesting in their own right
Instrumental case studies: Exemplars of a more general phenomenon. They are selected to provide the researcher with an opportunity to study the phenomenon of interest (Eg: Misogyny, Fame, Stress, Moral Policing…)
Single V/s Multiple
Descriptive V/s Explanatory
Naturalist V/s Pragmatic
Typologies of case studies*
* - Willig, Carla (2001) Introducing qualitative research in psychology. Buckingham: Open University Press, page 73 ff.
Unit Description
Person The study of one single individual, generally using several different research methods
Group The study of a single distinctive set of people, such as a family or small group of friends
Location The study of a particular place, and the way that it is used or regarded by people
Organization The study of a single organisation or company, and the way that people act within it
Event The study of a particular social or cultural event, and the interpretations of that event by those participating in it
What is a Case? Units of Analysis
Hayes, N. (2000) Doing Psychological Research. Gathering and analysing data. Buckingham: Open University Press. p. 134.
It is (Mostly)Descriptive : Highly detailed; trying to collect as much data as possible, including the contexts.
Narrow Focus: A single entity is studied. Limited aspects, most of the times.
Uses Triangulation of Tools/Methods
Combines Objective & Subjective Data: Objective recordings + feelings, beliefs, interpretations….
Process Oriented: Different from experimental methods, which are mostly ‘snapshots’.
Characteristics of Case Study
Pros and Cons
• Stimulating New Research: Freud and Anna O • Question Established Theory: Kim Peek • Giving New Insight into Phenomena or experience • Investigating Otherwise Inaccessible Areas: Wild
boy of Aveyron
o Not Replicable o Researcher Bias o Memory Distortions o No Generalization
A Sample Protocol:
Purpose and Rationale
Design (Based on Unit of Analysis and purpose)
Data Collection and Management
Describing Full Case
Thematic Analysis (Based on purpose, rationale and questions)
Establish Rigour
Protocol
Stage 1 - Describing Experience
Interview and other possible data sources
Iterative Interviews and Literature Survey
Categorizing Experiences
Stage 2 - Describing Meaning
Meaning of Signs and Symbols
Meaning of People, Things and Events
Meanings as a whole
Stage 3 - Focus of the Analysis
Theoretical and Naturalistic Generalizations are possible
‘Doing’ Case Study- An Approach
What Goes with What? Integration Among Pieces of Data
Noting Patterns
Clustering Making Metaphors
Seeing Plausibility
What's There? Sharpen our Understanding
Counting Making Comparisons
Partitioning Variables
See Things and Their Relationships More Abstractly
Assemble a Coherent Understanding of the Data
Subsuming Particulars Into the General Building a Logical Chain of Evidence
Factoring Making Conceptual/Theoretical
Noting Relations Between Variables Coherence
Finding Intervening Variables
Strategies for Establishing Rigour Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis (2nd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications
Separate the story and the findings from the conclusions and interpretations
Not a good practice to just list out cases
Emphasize the common themes across cases
Ensure proper referencing
Be open to Ethical concerns
Writing Up
1. Introduction
Start on a broad plain and narrow down to your topic
What are you studying?
Why is it important?
What do we know already?
Why is this study needed and how is it significant?
2. Literature Review
Place Relevant works in context
Relate works with each other; weave a story
Describe shortcomings in existing research
Locate your work within the context of existing literature
Structure of a Case Study Report
3. Method For Individuals: Why the person was chosen
What makes xem different from others
For Events/Incidents: Can be rare/critical/regular
How you identified the event and why it is apt
When, The leading Circumstances, the Consequences
For Places: Description (physical, social, cultural, economic, political, etc.)
Reason for selection
How this place is different from similar ones
What type of human activity(if any) describes this place?
For Phenomena
Focus on the human interactions
Interactions that take place between people and environment
Structure of a Case Study Report
4. Discussion
Relate the Findings with Research Question(s)
Meaning of findings and their importance; Don’t exaggerate
Relate to similar findings
Consider alternative explanations
Acknowledge Limitations
Suggest areas for further research
5. Conclusion
Provide a general overview
List out implications
Do not overgeneralize
Provide space for the ‘Black Swan’
Structure of a Case Study Report
Hayes, N. (2000) Doing Psychological Research. Gathering and analysing data. Buckingham: Open University Press. p. 134.
http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/casestudy
Zucker, Donna M., "How to Do Case Study Research" (2009). College of Nursing Faculty Publication Series.2. http://scholarworks.umass.edu/nursing_faculty_pubs/2
Willig, Carla (2001) Introducing qualitative research in psychology. Buckingham: Open University Press.
References
