You are the instructor teaching this chapter to an undergraduate abnormal psychology class. Explain the nature of case studies, as well as their benefits and drawbacks, from an empirical perspective
What will be an ideal response?
Case studies provide detailed narratives of abnormal behavior and/or its treatment. Although they may include some quantitative aspects, they do not allow us to draw causal inferences. They permit the examination of rare phenomena when group-based research would be nearly impossible, and they may shed light on hypotheses for future research; clinical observations may lead to the development of testable theories and/or treatments. Case studies may illustrate important clinical issues that are not readily seen in group-based reports. Limitations also exist, since the amount and type of data included in these studies may prohibit cross-study comparisons. Although they may allow us to generate potential hypotheses, they do not allow us to draw conclusions about causes.
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a. A hallucination b. A delusion c. An extrapyramidal symptom d. Paranoia
In the context of the experiments conducted by Mary Ainsworth, the ________ attachment style describes a child who exhibits distress at his mother's departure in the Ainsworth strange situation but is easily soothed on her return.
A. secure B. ambivalent C. disorganized D. avoidant
Women's subjective descriptions of orgasms suggest that they
a. only have clitoral orgasms b. only have vaginal orgasms c. always have orgasms centered in both the clitoris and vagina d. may experience two or more different types of orgasms
Ali has difficulty speaking. He also experiences memory deficits and issues with making plans and thinking abstractly. Ali suffers from behavioral disturbances that result from damage to the brain, which is technically referred to as a(n) ____
a. psychosomatic disorder
b. identity disorder
c. mood disorder
d. neurocognitive disorder