Psychology Case Study Flashcards

Study Notes

Triangulation: Involves using multiple research methods to investigate the same phenomenon, enhancing reliability of findings.
Case Study Overview: A qualitative research method focusing on an in-depth analysis of a person, group, or event. It is not experimental and gathers extensive data.
Conducting a Case Study: Utilizes interviews, psychological tests, observations, and involvement from family or friends. Data is analyzed for a comprehensive understanding.
Types of Data Collected: Includes both qualitative and potentially quantitative data.
Strengths of Case Studies:
- Provides rich, in-depth data often missed by other methodologies.
- Ideal for exploring rare human behaviors or unique cases.
- Allows examination of complex interactions among multiple factors, unlike controlled experiments.
Weaknesses of Case Studies:
- Time-consuming for data collection and analysis.
- Challenges in generalizing findings from single cases.
- Reliance on memory recall, which can be inaccurate.
- Subjectivity and ethical concerns regarding confidentiality.

Harlow (1848): First case study showcasing how environmental factors can influence behavior, noted changes in personality post-accident.
Corkin (1984): Focused on Henry Molaison, whose brain surgery affected memory significantly, demonstrating distinctions between declarative and procedural memory.
Jim Fallon (2006): Investigated brain scan patterns linked to psychopathy, revealing that neurological structures do not directly correlate with sociopathic behavior.
Sacks (2007): Analyzed Clive Wearing's severe memory impairment due to brain damage, illustrating the complexities of memory systems and their biological foundations.

Declarative Memories: Capture factual or event-based knowledge.
Procedural Memory: Involves skills and procedures, such as playing sports or solving puzzles.
Short-Term Storage: Holds a limited amount of information actively available for a brief period.
Long-Term Storage: Capable of retaining data for extended timeframes.

Genetic Inheritance: The transmission of genetic traits from parents to offspring.
Sociopathy: A type of antisocial personality disorder characterized by patterns of behavior that violate societal norms.
Anterograde Amnesia: Inability to form new memories following the event causing the condition.
Retrograde Amnesia: Memory loss for events occurring before the injury or onset of amnesia.
Episodic Memory: Recollection of autobiographical experiences.
Semantic Memory: Processes concepts and ideas not based on personal experiences, part of the long-term memory system.