Psychodynamic Methodology

Case studies
Involve one unique individual (or small group or particular programme
Gather in-depth, detailed and rich data
Gather qualitative data
Triangulation used
1. Pooling data from various research methods
2. Looking for common themes/trends
Used methods such as free association dream analysis and slips of the tongue to uncover unconscious thoughts and desires
1. Free assocaiation - patient lets a stream of consciousness out, analyst listens to find connections with the aim of uncovering unconscious wishes
2. Dream/symbol analysis - describe dream and look for meaning - manifest content is description, latent content is the underlying thoughts
3. Slips of the tongue - wrong word is used, revealing unconscious desires
Used psychoanalysis to help patients (analysands) to uncover repressed memories
Strengths
1. Only way of studying particular phenomena
2. Produce valid data
3. Freud's can be used to help patients
Weaknesses
1. Not replicable due to unique situation
2. Low generalisability
3. Could be subjective
4. Concepts aren't measurable
Issues
1. Ethically, confidentiality may be difficult in a case study as one individual is studied, and they could be identified
2. The interpretation of the analysst can push a patient towards ideas that may not be their own due to power over the analysand
3. There is gender bias - boys are focused on most
4. Undue emphasis on sexual matters - particularly where there is transference - patients having feelings for the analyst
One way of testing Freud's theories is using correlation design and self report data
Freud didn't use them himself but they can be used to test his ideas
Self-report data is where a participant provides info about themselves, through a questionnaire for example
Ratiing scales can be used for this and provide ordinal data
3 levels of measurement
1. 1st - Nominal
  1. Categories are recorded such as 'yes/no'
2. 2nd - Ordinal
  1. Ranked data, such as rating scales
3. 3rd - Interval/ratio
  1. Real measurement such as time
They involve the same participant providing data for 2 measures
They have 2 variables both of which are measured
Its not a difference between the variables but a relationship between them that is looked for
A correlationis a relationship between 2 variables measured on a scale where both measures come from one individual
A positive correlation is where a rise in one variable causes a rise in the other variable
A negative correlation is where a rise in one variable causes a fall in the other variable
Spearmans rho
1. Inferential statistical test
2. Judge whether there is a correlation
3. Can be carried out if:
  1. You're testing a relationship between 2 scores
  2. The level of measurement is ordinal/ratio data
  3. Correlation design used
4. Perfect + correlation - +1, perfect negative, -1, none, 0
Strengths
1. Little manipulation of variables, few controls needed
2. Show possibly unexpected relationships and can therefore be used to point to new areas for research
Weaknesses
1. No guarentee the relationship isnt due to chance
2. Tend to lack validity as at least one of the variables often has to be operationalised making it unnatural
Longitudinal studies are those that follow one set of participants over time
Strengths
1. Useful for looking at developmental trends
2. Same participants mean that participant variables wont lead to bias
Weaknesses
1. Difficult to keep all participants for each of the measures and people can drop out
2. This can lead to bias if it excludes certain people, such as those who are shy
3. Researchers themselves may change over time
Cross sectional studies are seen as the opposite to longitudinal
They are measures taken at one moment in time
A cross section of the population is chosen and those people's results on some measurement are compared
Strengths
1. Gather immediate results so are easy to carry out, as well as being cheaper
2. More ethical than longitudinal as measurements are only taken once instead of imposing on participants long term
Weaknesses
1. Different participants used so participant variables can take place
2. Many uncontrollable variables

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	Creado por Beth Ritchie hace más de 10 años