what is a single research study

What does single research study mean?

Unlike more qualitative research, single-subject research focuses on understanding objective behavior through experimental manipulation and control, collecting highly structured data, and analyzing those data quantitatively. Single-subject research has been around since the beginning of the field of psychology.

What is an example of single-subject research?

Generally, in single subject research we count the number of times something occurs in a given time period and see if it occurs more or less often in that time period after implementing an intervention. For example, we might measure how many baskets someone makes while shooting for 2 minutes.

What is a single subject design in research?

Description. Single subject research design is a type of research methodology characterized by repeated assessment of a particular phenomenon (often a behavior) over time and is generally used to evaluate interventions [2].

What is the difference between a single and multiple case study?

Single case study: This type of case study focuses on one group, person, or event. Multiple case study: In this type of case study, the researcher studies two or more cases.

What is the main difference between single case research designs and case studies?

In a single case design, the researcher has much more control over the participant. They introduce an independent variable and measure the behaviour, so this allows cause and effect to be more readily established. Case studies, on the other hand, the researcher simply observes the behaviour.

What is the purpose of a single-subject design?

The essence of single-subject design is using repeated measurements to really understand an individual's variability, so that we can use our understanding of that variability to determine what the effects of our treatment are.

What are the assumptions of single-subject research?

Assumptions of Single-Subject Research First and foremost is the assumption that it is important to focus intensively on the behavior of individual participants. One reason for this is that group research can hide individual differences and generate results that do not represent the behavior of any individual.

What type of statistical approach is used for single-subject research?

Data Analysis in Single-Subject Research Group data are described using statistics such as means, standard deviations, Pearson's r, and so on to detect general patterns. Finally, inferential statistics are used to help decide whether the result for the sample is likely to generalize to the population.

What are the types of single subject design?

Six primary design types are discussed: the pre-experimental (or AB) design, the withdrawal (or ABA/ABAB) design, the multiple-baseline/multiple-probe design, the changing-criterion design, the multiple-treatment design, and the alternating treatments and adapted alternating treatments designs (see Table 2).

What is single subject quasi experimental design?

A one-group pretest-posttest design is a quasi- experimental research design in which the same dependent variable is measured in one group of participants before (pretest) and after (posttest) a treatment is administered.

What is a single subject multiple baseline research design?

Single-Subject Design Summary. The Multiple Baseline Design is used when a return to baseline is undesirable. Experimental control is demonstrated by the repeated changes in the dependent variable with each successive introduction of the independent variable.

What is another name for an ABAB design?

An ABAB research design, also called a withdrawal or reversal design, is used to determine if an intervention is effective in changing the behavior of a participant. The design has four phases denoted by A1, B1, A2, and B2.

What is single subject research?

This research design is useful when the researcher is attempting to change the behavior of an individual or a small group of individuals and wishes to document that change. Unlike true experiments where the researcher randomly assigns participants to a control and treatment group, in single subject research the participant serves as both the control and treatment group. The researcher uses line graphs to show the effects of a particular intervention or treatment. An important factor of single subject research is that only one variable is changed at a time. Single subject research designs are “weak when it comes to external validity….Studies involving single-subject designs that show a particular treatment to be effective in changing behavior must rely on replication–across individuals rather than groups–if such results are be found worthy of generalization” (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2006, p. 318).

Why do researchers use line graphs?

The researcher uses line graphs to show the effects of a particular intervention or treatment. An important factor of single subject research is that only one variable is changed at a time.

Who Uses Single-Subject Research?

Single-subject research has been around as long as the field of psychology itself. In the late 1800s, one of psychology’s founders, Wilhelm Wundt, studied sensation and consciousness by focusing intensively on each of a small number of research participants. Herman Ebbinghaus’s research on memory and Ivan Pavlov’s research on classical conditioning are other early examples, both of which are still described in almost every introductory psychology textbook.

How many participants are in a single subject study?

Note that the term single-subject does not mean that only one participant is studied; it is more typical for there to be somewhere between two and 10 participants. (This is why single-subject research designs are sometimes called small- n designs, where n is the statistical symbol for the sample size.)

What is qualitative research?

A type of quantitative research that involves studying the behaviour of each small number of participants in detail. The study of large numbers of participants and examining their behaviour primarily in terms of group means, standard deviations, and so on. A detailed description of an individual, which can include both qualitative ...

What is a case study?

A. case study. is a detailed description of an individual, which can include both qualitative and quantitative analyses. (Case studies that include only qualitative analyses can be considered a type of qualitative research.)

Why is it important to focus on individual participants?

One reason for this is that group research can hide individual differences and generate results that do not represent the behaviour of any individual. For example, a treatment that has a positive effect for half the people exposed to it but a negative effect for the other half would, on average, appear to have no effect at all. Single-subject research, however, would likely reveal these individual differences. A second reason to focus intensively on individuals is that sometimes it is the behaviour of a particular individual that is primarily of interest. A school psychologist, for example, might be interested in changing the behaviour of a particular disruptive student. Although previous published research (both single-subject and group research) is likely to provide some guidance on how to do this, conducting a study on this student would be more direct and probably more effective.

What is the second assumption of single subject research?

A second assumption of single-subject research is that it is important to discover causal relationships through the manipulation of an independent variable, the careful measurement of a dependent variable, and the control of extraneous variables.

Why are case studies important?

One reason is that case studies usually do not allow researchers to determine whether specific ...

What Is Single-Subject Research?

Single-subject research is a type of quantitative research that involves studying in detail the behavior of each of a small number of participants. Note that the term single-subject does not mean that only one participant is studied; it is more typical for there to be somewhere between two and 10 participants. (This is why single-subject research designs are sometimes called small- n designs, where n is the statistical symbol for the sample size.) Single-subject research can be contrasted with group research, which typically involves studying large numbers of participants and examining their behavior primarily in terms of group means, standard deviations, and so on. The majority of this textbook is devoted to understanding group research, which is the most common approach in psychology. But single-subject research is an important alternative, and it is the primary approach in some more applied areas of psychology.

Why is single subject research important?

A second assumption of single-subject research is that it is important to discover causal relationships through the manipulation of an independent variable, the careful measurement of a dependent variable, and the control of extraneous variables. For this reason, single-subject research is often considered a type of experimental research ...

What is qualitative research?

More broadly speaking, qualitative research focuses on understanding people’s subjective experience by observing behavior and collecting relatively unstructured data (e.g., ...

Why is it important to study strong and consistent effects that have biological or social significance?

Applied researchers, in particular, are interested in treatments that have substantial effects on important behaviors and that can be implemented reliably in the real-world contexts in which they occur. This is sometimes referred to as social validity (Wolf, 1976) [1]. The study by Hall and his colleagues, for example, had good social validity because it showed strong and consistent effects of positive teacher attention on a behavior that is of obvious importance to teachers, parents, and students. Furthermore, the teachers found the treatment easy to implement, even in their often-chaotic elementary school classrooms.

Who was the first psychologist to study sensation?

Single-subject research has been around as long as the field of psychology itself. In the late 1800s, one of psychology’s founders, Wilhelm Wundt, studied sensation and consciousness by focusing intensively on each of a small number of research participants. Herman Ebbinghaus’s research on memory and Ivan Pavlov’s research on classical conditioning are other early examples, both of which are still described in almost every introductory psychology textbook.

Is single subject research qualitative?

But single-subject research is an important alternative, and it is the primary approach in some more applied areas of psychology. Before continuing, it is important to distinguish single-subject research from case studies and other more qualitative approaches that involve studying in detail a small number of participants.

What is the importance of single subject research?

Another important aspect of single-subject research is that the change from one condition to the next does not usually occur after a fixed amount of time or number of observations. Instead, it depends on the participant’s behaviour.

How does single subject research differ from group research?

In addition to its focus on individual participants, single-subject research differs from group research in the way the data are typically analyzed. As we have seen throughout the book, group research involves combining data across participants. Group data are described using statistics such as means, standard deviations, Pearson’s r, and so on to detect general patterns. Finally, inferential statistics are used to help decide whether the result for the sample is likely to generalize to the population. Single-subject research, by contrast, relies heavily on a very different approach called#N#visual inspection#N#. This means plotting individual participants’ data as shown throughout this chapter, looking carefully at those data, and making judgments about whether and to what extent the independent variable had an effect on the dependent variable. Inferential statistics are typically not used.

How many treatments are alternated relatively quickly on a regular schedule?

Two or more treatments are alternated relatively quickly on a regular schedule.

Can single subject research be analyzed?

The results of single-subject research can also be analyzed using statistical procedures— and this is becoming more common. There are many different approaches, and single-subject researchers continue to debate which are the most useful. One approach parallels what is typically done in group research.

Definition (Single studies)

There are many different types of single studies including: Randomized controlled trials, Cohort studies, Case control studies, Case series, Case studies etc. Each will have its own methodology and must be critically appraised in order to assess both the quality of the study (i.e.

Single Studies

There are many different types of single studies including: Randomized controlled trials, Cohort studies, Case control studies, Case series, Case studies etc. Each will have its own methodology and must be critically appraised in order to assess both the quality of the study (i.e.

What is a case study?

Case studies often involve cases that are somehow unique or incomparable to others. Intrinsic case studies limit you to consideration of the specific instance of interest. Convenience can also be a factor—you may choose a specific case “because it's there.”.

Why do we do multiple case studies?

Multiple-case studies reduce concerns about external validity somewhat, as consistent findings across your cases can be used to counter the argument that you are describing some idiosyncrasy of your specific participants. However, these problems reappear if you are attempting theoretical replication—members of each group must both represent that group appropriately while differing from other groups in the appropriate dimensions.

Why are case studies important in cultural theory?

Studies that effectively contribute to culture theory and the associated construction of generalizations are necessarily comparative, because theory entails an explanation of multiple cases of cultural regularity. But in extending the reach of the single case study, theory and generalization almost exist at cross-purposes with the ethnography of the single case. On the one hand, the case study stays very faithful to detail, to native perspectives, to the subtleties of the vernacular language of the community, and to the context of events considered in holistic fashion. That fidelity to detail inevitably gives each case study a very distinct character, because the particular content and concatenation of events, activities, personalities, informant statements, and the like are singular. The detailed ethnography deriving from fieldwork may well restrict theory development and broad comparisons, if one is bent on maintaining the integrity and holism of the data. For example, anthropological accounts of peoples as diverse as Cantonese villagers, Mundurucu or Yanomamo horticulturists in Brazil and Venezuela, Mbeere farmer/herders on the Mt. Kenya periphery, and Tikopia Islanders in Polynesia characterize them as “patrilineal.” This designation refers to their mode of reckoning descent through the male line, ascending to father, grandfather, and so on, to an apical ancestor. Men and women descended from that ancestor through male links belong to a patrilineal group—a lineage, a clan, or a moiety. In this respect, the five peoples cited as well as many others appear similar in regard to their construction of critical descent groups. The particular native designations of these male-descended kin groups are vastly different and the connotations of the various terms as well as the particular role the kin groups play are different in each case.

How labor intensive is participant observation?

Just as participant observation research is relatively inexpensive, it is also highly labor intensive. This form of research requires that the researcher be present in the observed social scene. One cannot simply fly in and out, but must spend sufficient time so that the fullrange of activities in which participants engage are noted. Much participant observation depends upon chance—what happens to occur at the moment of observation—and, as a result, a significant investment of time is needed. While there is no definitive rule for the proper length of time necessary for observation, most projects require months, if not years, to complete. This, coupled with a modest requirement for capital equipment support means that, as noted, this methodology is particularly appropriate for younger scholars. This reality can mean that participant observation studies often do not have the depth of theoretical understanding that more likely characterizes the work of senior scholars.

Why are findings sharply distinct?

Often because of different perspectives upon entering the field and different experiences within the field, findings are sharply distinct. While the observations and interpretations of those observations may be compelling, one can reasonably wonder whether any set of conclusions is definitive.

Why is multiplayer game case study important?

The multiplayer network game case study was selected because it has a useful set of characteristics that make it ideal as a basis to discuss structure, function, and behavior. However, the documentation for that case study has been dispersed across several chapters with the primary goal of reinforcing the material of those chapters and placing it into perspective; the focus has not been on the presentation of the case study itself.

How to conduct a case study?

Given these challenges, the individuals, groups, organizations, or systems that you choose should be chosen carefully. You will want to try to identify case study participants who have an interest in committing some of their own resources to work with you to make the research successful. You should also try to maximize convenience, working with geographically convenient participants whenever possible.

What is single blind study?

In psychology, a single-blind study is a type of experiment or clinical trial in which the experimenters are aware of which subjects are receiving the treatment or independent variable, but the participants of the study are not.

Why is single blind study important?

A single-blind study can help prevent this or minimize the effects of such demand characteristics.

What is a study in which both the experimenters and participants are unaware of who is receiving the independent variable and who?

A study in which both the experimenters and participants are unaware of who is receiving the independent variable and who is not is known as a double-blind study.

Why do researchers keep participants in the dark about what they are looking for?

The reason for keeping participants in the dark about what the researchers are looking for and what treatment they are receiving is to try to prevent participants from altering their behavior to conform to what they think the researchers expect.

What Is Single-Subject Research?

• is a type of quantitative research that involves studying in detail the behaviour of each of a small number of participants. Note that the term single-subject does not mean that only one participant is studied; it is more typical for there to be somewhere between two and 10 participants. (This is why single-subject research designs are sometimes ca...

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Assumptions of Single-Subject Research

Who Uses Single-Subject Research?

What Is Single-Subject Research?

• Single-subject research is a type of quantitative research that involves studying in detail the behavior of each of a small number of participants. Note that the term single-subject does not mean that only one participant is studied; it is more typical for there to be somewhere between two and 10 participants. (This is why single-subject research d...

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Assumptions of Single-Subject Research

Who Uses Single-Subject Research?