Which research method did Sigmund Freud rely upon? Analyze what you know about his theory given your understanding of research methods. What are the strengths and limitations of his approach?
What will be an ideal response?
Answer: A good answer will include the following key points.
? Freud's theory was based on case studies.
? Case studies are useful for studying unusual or rare cases and for generating hypotheses for further research.
? One drawback to case studies is that information is often missing or hard to interpret.
? Observers may have biases that influence which facts get noticed and which are ignored.
? Memory of observers may be selective or inaccurate, making conclusions unreliable.
? Most important, the person studied may be unrepresentative of the group that a researcher is interested in.
? The case study method has only limited usefulness for deriving general principles of behavior.
? The limitations of the case study method make it likely that Freud's theory has only limited usefulness.
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