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Single-Case Versus Multiple-Case Studies
One of Yin’s dimensions for classifying case studies involves single-case versus
multiple-case studies. In some instances, only a single-case study is necessary
or at times even possible; this is true when a unique case comes along
that presents a valuable source of information. For example, a social scientist
wanting to explore the emotional impact of a national tragedy on elementary-
school children might choose to study the Challenger space shuttle
disaster or the World Trade Center attacks, as a single-case study.
Eminent Russian psychologist Aleksandr Luria, in his book The Mind of a
Mnemonist: A Little Book About a Vast Memory (1968), has, in a most engaging
style, described a single-case (holistic) study. The case involved a man by the
name of Shereshevskii (identified in the book as subject “S”) who possessed
an extraordinary memory. Luria began to observe “S” systematically in the
1920’s, after “S” had asked him to test his memory. Luria was so astounded
by the man’s ability to study information for brief periods of time and then
repeat it back to him without an error that he continued to observe and test
“S” over the following thirty years. Luria was convinced that this man possessed
one of the best memories ever studied.
Because of the nature of the phenomenon—an unusually vast memory—
and the fact that this man was capable of performing memory feats never
before witnessed, a single-case (holistic) study was begun. When studying
rare phenomena, as in this instance, it is not possible to find the number of
subjects typically required for an experiment; thus, the case-study approach
presents the best alternative. Over the ensuing thirty years, Luria carefully
documented the results of literally hundreds of memory feats. In some instances,
Luria presented “S” with a list of words to memorize and asked him
to recall them immediately. At other times, without any forewarning, Luria
asked “S” to recall words from lists given more than fifteen years before. In
most of these instances, “S” recalled the list with only a few errors. Luria
commented on much more than the results of these memory tests; he also
carefully studied the personality of “S.” Luria wanted to understand him as a
whole person, not only as a person with a great memory. Closely involved
with his subject, Luria personally gave the instructions and collected the
data. Whereas the data from the memory tasks provided some degree of objectivity
to the study, most of the information came from the subjective observations
and judgments made by Luria himself. The study was reported in
a book-length narrative.
before witnessed, a single-case (holistic) study was begun. When studying
rare phenomena, as in this instance, it is not possible to find the number of
subjects typically required for an experiment; thus, the case-study approach
presents the best alternative. Over the ensuing thirty years, Luria carefully
documented the results of literally hundreds of memory feats. In some instances,
Luria presented “S” with a list of words to memorize and asked him
to recall them immediately. At other times, without any forewarning, Luria
asked “S” to recall words from lists given more than fifteen years before. In
most of these instances, “S” recalled the list with only a few errors. Luria
commented on much more than the results of these memory tests; he also
carefully studied the personality of “S.” Luria wanted to understand him as a
whole person, not only as a person with a great memory. Closely involved
with his subject, Luria personally gave the instructions and collected the
data. Whereas the data from the memory tasks provided some degree of objectivity
to the study, most of the information came from the subjective observations
and judgments made by Luria himself. The study was reported in
a book-length narrative. Challenger space shuttle
disaster or the World Trade Center attacks, as a single-case study.
Eminent Russian psychologist Aleksandr Luria, in his book The Mind of a
Mnemonist: A Little Book About a Vast Memory (1968), has, in a most engaging
style, described a single-case (holistic) study. The case involved a man by the
name of Shereshevskii (identified in the book as subject “S”) who possessed
an extraordinary memory. Luria began to observe “S” systematically in the
1920’s, after “S” had asked him to test his memory. Luria was so astounded
by the man’s ability to study information for brief periods of time and then
repeat it back to him without an error that he continued to observe and test
“S” over the following thirty years. Luria was convinced that this man possessed
one of the best memories ever studied.
Because of the nature of the phenomenon—an unusually vast memory—
and the fact that this man was capable of performing memory feats never
before witnessed, a single-case (holistic) study was begun. When studying
rare phenomena, as in this instance, it is not possible to find the number of
subjects typically required for an experiment; thus, the case-study approach
presents the best alternative. Over the ensuing thirty years, Luria carefully
documented the results of literally hundreds of memory feats. In some instances,
Luria presented “S” with a list of words to memorize and asked him
to recall them immediately. At other times, without any forewarning, Luria
asked “S” to recall words from lists given more than fifteen years before. In
most of these instances, “S” recalled the list with only a few errors. Luria
commented on much more than the results of these memory tests; he also
carefully studied the personality of “S.” Luria wanted to understand him as a
whole person, not only as a person with a great memory. Closely involved
with his subject, Luria personally gave the instructions and collected the
data. Whereas the data from the memory tasks provided some degree of objectivity
to the study, most of the information came from the subjective observations
and judgments made by Luria himself. The study was reported in
a book-length narrative.
before witnessed, a single-case (holistic) study was begun. When studying
rare phenomena, as in this instance, it is not possible to find the number of
subjects typically required for an experiment; thus, the case-study approach
presents the best alternative. Over the ensuing thirty years, Luria carefully
documented the results of literally hundreds of memory feats. In some instances,
Luria presented “S” with a list of words to memorize and asked him
to recall them immediately. At other times, without any forewarning, Luria
asked “S” to recall words from lists given more than fifteen years before. In
most of these instances, “S” recalled the list with only a few errors. Luria
commented on much more than the results of these memory tests; he also
carefully studied the personality of “S.” Luria wanted to understand him as a
whole person, not only as a person with a great memory. Closely involved
with his subject, Luria personally gave the instructions and collected the
data. Whereas the data from the memory tasks provided some degree of objectivity
to the study, most of the information came from the subjective observations
and judgments made by Luria himself. The study was reported in
a book-length narrative. The Mind of a
Mnemonist: A Little Book About a Vast Memory (1968), has, in a most engaging
style, described a single-case (holistic) study. The case involved a man by the
name of Shereshevskii (identified in the book as subject “S”) who possessed
an extraordinary memory. Luria began to observe “S” systematically in the
1920’s, after “S” had asked him to test his memory. Luria was so astounded
by the man’s ability to study information for brief periods of time and then
repeat it back to him without an error that he continued to observe and test
“S” over the following thirty years. Luria was convinced that this man possessed
one of the best memories ever studied.
Because of the nature of the phenomenon—an unusually vast memory—
and the fact that this man was capable of performing memory feats never
before witnessed, a single-case (holistic) study was begun. When studying
rare phenomena, as in this instance, it is not possible to find the number of
subjects typically required for an experiment; thus, the case-study approach
presents the best alternative. Over the ensuing thirty years, Luria carefully
documented the results of literally hundreds of memory feats. In some instances,
Luria presented “S” with a list of words to memorize and asked him
to recall them immediately. At other times, without any forewarning, Luria
asked “S” to recall words from lists given more than fifteen years before. In
most of these instances, “S” recalled the list with only a few errors. Luria
commented on much more than the results of these memory tests; he also
carefully studied the personality of “S.” Luria wanted to understand him as a
whole person, not only as a person with a great memory. Closely involved
with his subject, Luria personally gave the instructions and collected the
data. Whereas the data from the memory tasks provided some degree of objectivity
to the study, most of the information came from the subjective observations
and judgments made by Luria himself. The study was reported in
a book-length narrative.
before witnessed, a single-case (holistic) study was begun. When studying
rare phenomena, as in this instance, it is not possible to find the number of
subjects typically required for an experiment; thus, the case-study approach
presents the best alternative. Over the ensuing thirty years, Luria carefully
documented the results of literally hundreds of memory feats. In some instances,
Luria presented “S” with a list of words to memorize and asked him
to recall them immediately. At other times, without any forewarning, Luria
asked “S” to recall words from lists given more than fifteen years before. In
most of these instances, “S” recalled the list with only a few errors. Luria
commented on much more than the results of these memory tests; he also
carefully studied the personality of “S.” Luria wanted to understand him as a
whole person, not only as a person with a great memory. Closely involved
with his subject, Luria personally gave the instructions and collected the
data. Whereas the data from the memory tasks provided some degree of objectivity
to the study, most of the information came from the subjective observations
and judgments made by Luria himself. The study was reported in
a book-length narrative. (1968), has, in a most engaging
style, described a single-case (holistic) study. The case involved a man by the
name of Shereshevskii (identified in the book as subject “S”) who possessed
an extraordinary memory. Luria began to observe “S” systematically in the
1920’s, after “S” had asked him to test his memory. Luria was so astounded
by the man’s ability to study information for brief periods of time and then
repeat it back to him without an error that he continued to observe and test
“S” over the following thirty years. Luria was convinced that this man possessed
one of the best memories ever studied.
Because of the nature of the phenomenon—an unusually vast memory—
and the fact that this man was capable of performing memory feats never
before witnessed, a single-case (holistic) study was begun. When studying
rare phenomena, as in this instance, it is not possible to find the number of
subjects typically required for an experiment; thus, the case-study approach
presents the best alternative. Over the ensuing thirty years, Luria carefully
documented the results of literally hundreds of memory feats. In some instances,
Luria presented “S” with a list of words to memorize and asked him
to recall them immediately. At other times, without any forewarning, Luria
asked “S” to recall words from lists given more than fifteen years before. In
most of these instances, “S” recalled the list with only a few errors. Luria
commented on much more than the results of these memory tests; he also
carefully studied the personality of “S.” Luria wanted to understand him as a
whole person, not only as a person with a great memory. Closely involved
with his subject, Luria personally gave the instructions and collected the
data. Whereas the data from the memory tasks provided some degree of objectivity
to the study, most of the information came from the subjective observations
and judgments made by Luria himself. The study was reported in
a book-length narrative.
before witnessed, a single-case (holistic) study was begun. When studying
rare phenomena, as in this instance, it is not possible to find the number of
subjects typically required for an experiment; thus, the case-study approach
presents the best alternative. Over the ensuing thirty years, Luria carefully
documented the results of literally hundreds of memory feats. In some instances,
Luria presented “S” with a list of words to memorize and asked him
to recall them immediately. At other times, without any forewarning, Luria
asked “S” to recall words from lists given more than fifteen years before. In
most of these instances, “S” recalled the list with only a few errors. Luria
commented on much more than the results of these memory tests; he also
carefully studied the personality of “S.” Luria wanted to understand him as a
whole person, not only as a person with a great memory. Closely involved
with his subject, Luria personally gave the instructions and collected the
data. Whereas the data from the memory tasks provided some degree of objectivity
to the study, most of the information came from the subjective observations
and judgments made by Luria himself. The study was reported in
a book-length narrative.
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