AQA GCSE Psychology: Case Study Practice Drills | AQA GCSE 心理学案例分析实战演练

📚 AQA GCSE Psychology: Case Study Practice Drills | AQA GCSE 心理学案例分析实战演练

Case studies are a cornerstone of psychological research, allowing us to explore behaviour in rich detail. This practice guide will equip you with the skills to design, analyse, and evaluate case studies for your AQA GCSE exams.

案例研究是心理学研究的基石，使我们能够细致地探索行为。这份实战指南将帮助你掌握设计、分析和评估案例研究所需的能力，以应对AQA GCSE考试。

1. What is a Case Study? | 什么是案例研究？

In psychology, a case study is an in-depth investigation of a single individual, group, or event. Unlike experiments that manipulate variables, case studies focus on gathering detailed qualitative (and sometimes quantitative) data through methods such as interviews, observations, and psychological tests. They are often used to study rare or unique phenomena, like a person with an unusual memory condition or a specific brain injury.

在心理学中，案例研究是对单一个体、群体或事件的深入调查。与操纵变量的实验不同，案例研究注重通过访谈、观察和心理测试等方法收集详细的定性（有时也包含定量）数据。案例研究常被用于研究罕见或独特的现象，例如具有特殊记忆状况的患者或特定的脑损伤。

2. Features of a Case Study in Psychology | 心理学案例研究的特点

In-depth and holistic: A case study examines many aspects of the participant’s life, background, and behaviour to build a comprehensive picture. It often includes historical records, medical notes, and personal accounts.

深入且整体：案例研究会考察参与者生活、背景和行为的多个方面，以构建全面的图像。它通常包括历史记录、医疗记录和个人叙述。

Longitudinal approach: Many case studies follow the subject over a long period, sometimes years. This allows psychologists to track changes and development, providing a dynamic view of the condition or behaviour.

纵向方法：许多案例研究在很长一段时间内（有时是数年）追踪研究对象。这使心理学家能够追踪变化和发展，从而对状况或行为提供动态视角。

Use of multiple data sources: Triangulation is common—combining interviews, observations, psychometric tests, and archival data to enhance validity and reliability.

使用多种数据来源：通常会进行三角验证——结合访谈、观察、心理测量测试和档案数据，以提高效度和信度。

Ideographic approach: It focuses on the unique individual rather than seeking general laws of behaviour. This provides rich, contextualised insights.

独特规律研究法：它关注独特的个体，而非寻求普遍的行为规律。这提供了丰富且情境化的见解。

3. Types of Case Studies | 案例研究的类型

Individual case studies: These focus on a single person, such as Phineas Gage, who survived a severe brain injury. They provide detailed information about rare conditions and cognitive functions.

个体案例研究：这类研究聚焦于单一个体，例如经历过严重脑损伤却存活下来的菲尼亚斯·盖奇。它们提供了关于罕见情况和认知功能的详细信息。

Group case studies: A small group of people sharing a characteristic (e.g., a support group for phobia sufferers) is studied as a unit. This can highlight shared experiences while still capturing individual variation.

群体案例研究：将具有共同特征的一小群人（例如恐惧症患者支持小组）作为一个单位进行研究。这既能突出共同经历，又能捕捉个体差异。

Event or institutional case studies: Studying a specific event (like a school merger) or an organisation provides insights into social dynamics and organisational behaviour.

事件或机构案例研究：研究特定事件（如学校合并）或组织，可以深入了解社会动态和组织行为。

4. Designing a Case Study | 设计案例研究

Step 1: Formulate a research question. Decide what you want to investigate. For example, ‘How does a traumatic event affect a child’s attachment style?’ The question should be open-ended to allow rich qualitative data.

第一步：提出研究问题。确定你想探究的内容。例如，“创伤性事件如何影响儿童的依恋风格？”问题应该是开放式的，以便收集丰富的定性数据。

Step 2: Select the participant(s). Because case studies often deal with unusual cases, sampling tends to be purposive—you choose the specific person who fits the study. Ensure informed consent is obtained.

第二步