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Case Studies of Brain-Damaged patients (GRAVE) - Coggle Diagram
Case Studies of Brain-Damaged patients (GRAVE)
Validity
Case studies can give qualitative data that describes memory in detail.
HM
couldn't recall events from is past e.g. having a dog (episodic memory is damaged)
didn't need the concept of a dog explained to him (semantic memory isn't damaged)
provides evidence for two different types of memory in different parts of the brain (LTM) .
Qualitative data increases validity of findings from case studies which makes them more effective for researching memory.
Application
CS can follow development of individual with brain damage over a long period of time.
HM
Case study of HM was a longitudinal study which provides in depth qualitative data.
After his hippocampus was removed, his LTM was affected e.g. couldn't remember his father passing.
However he learnt through drawings
These methods allow individuals to be reassessed several times so their data on memory can effetively show developmental differences in digenerative disorders e.g. alzheimers.
Reliability
CS combine different types of research methods e.g. observations, PET scans and experimental methods.
HM
Studied using methodological triangulation which included studies of his experimental surgery, MRI, interviews and the autopsy of his brain when he passed
This methodology can increase scientific credibility of the findings about memory which make the finishings more effective in supporting memory theories.
Generalisability
Case studies are studies looking into an individual or a small group of people. Brain damage is unique to the individual being studied and no brain damage case is exactly the same.
This makes case studies being involved in memory studies hard to generalise. Each case is atypical meaning it may not be helpful for the majority of cases. This means they're quite limited and unrepresentative of the wider population.