Case Study Method
An intensive description and analysis of a single individual
Case Study Advantages
- Rich sources of ideas for developing a hypothesis
- Opportunity for clinical innovation
- Method for studying rare events
- Possible challenge to theoretical assumptions
- Tentative support for a psychological theory
Case Study Disadvantages
- Difficulty drawing cause-and-effect conclusions (limited internal validity)
- Possible biases when interpreting outcomes due to the observer bias in data collection
- Problem of generalizing findings for a single individual (limited external validity)
ABAB Design
Research method used to determine the effectiveness of an intervention on a specific behavior and used in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Alternates baseline and intervention to evaluate behavioral changes
A= Baseline Phase
B= Intervention Phase
Focus Group
Based on facilitating an organized discussion with a group of individuals selected because they were believed to be representative of some class (ex., the class of consumers of a product)
Discussion is used to bring out insights and understandings that sample questionnaire items may not tap.
Group Interviewing
A standard survey instrument is administered to respondents simultaneously.
Comparison of Focus Groups vs Group Interviewing
Focus groups have no standard instrument, only a topic to be explored through the exchange of a group discussion.
Group Interviewing (Survey Research) requires a priori theory or at least a list of subtopics as a guide for the selection of items to be included in the survey instrument
Role of the Moderator
To facilitate, not to dominate the discussion
Encourages participants of all and seeks to limit the domination of the discussion by a few discussants
Seeks to return the conversation to the topic at hand
Takes notes or records the conversation of the group (often done by an assistant moderator)
Drawbacks of the Focus Groups Method
- Potentially strong influence of the discussion moderator (in one way or another)
- Difficulty of separating individual viewpoints from the collective group viewpoint (GROUP THINK)
- Difficulty of obtaining a representative sample within a small focus group.
Individuals may be less willing to reveal sensitive information because assurance of confidentiality is lost
May have a positive or negative effect on the subjects, particularly when members of the group are associated with work or other social contexts.
Focus Group Implementation
Focus group size: 6-10 (with 10 being the limit)
Number of topics: Usually at most three (often just one) with subtopics under each
Neutral territory that tides do not cause stress (location)
Selection may be random
Encourage first-name basis, usually with an ice breaker at the beginning
Narrative Analysis
An analysis of a chronologically told story with a focus on how elements are sequenced, why some elements are evaluated differently from others, how the past shapes perceptions of the present, how the present shapes perceptions of the past, and how both shape perceptions of the future.
