maker should not rely on any single test. Test data should be combined with information about a person’s background, interests, and past performance. Case Study In this method, the emphasis is given on in- depth study of a particular case. Researchers focus on cases which can provide critical information or new learning on less understood phenomena.
The case can be an individual with distinguishing characteristics (for example, a patient showing psychological disorders) or a small group of individuals having some commonality among them (for example, creative writers like Rabindra Nath Tagore, and Mahadevi Verma), institutions (for example, poorly or successfully functioning school or a corporate office), and specific events (for example, children exposed to devastation by tsunami, war or vehicular pollution, etc.). The cases that we select for study are unique and, therefore, are rich in information. A case study employs multiple methods for collecting information, such as interview, observation, and psychological tests from a variety of respondents who in some way or the other might be associated with the case and can provide useful information. With the help of case studies, psychologists have done research to understand feelings, fantasies, hopes, fears, traumatic experiences, parental upbringing and so on, that helps to understand a person’s mind and behaviour.
Case studies provide a narrative or detailed descriptions of the events that take place in a person’s life. A case study is a valuable research tool in the field of clinical psychology and human development. Freud’s insights that led to the development of psychoanalytic theory emerged from his observations and showed that meticulous records must be maintained on individual cases. Similarly, Piaget developed his theory of cognitive development on the basis of observations of his three children.
Case studies have been conducted to understand the pattern of socialisation of children. For example, Minturn and Hitchcock conducted a case study of socialisation of Take a test with its manual and read it carefully, and identify the following : Number and type of items Information about reliability, validity, and norms Type of test: verbal or otherwise, individual or groups Type of test: Speed, power,