Fascinating Case Studies for A-Level Psychology: Part 2

Which Case Studies Do A-Level Psychology Students Need to Know?

This article explores four landmark case studies in A-Level Psychology: Anna O. (psychoanalysis and the talking cure), Chris Sizemore (dissociative identity disorder), Victor of Aveyron (the critical period hypothesis and nature vs nurture), and Kim Peek (savant syndrome and definitions of intelligence). Each case study is examined for both its theoretical contribution and its methodological limitations.

Introduction

Case studies are both highly distinctive and highly controversial in Psychology. They offer rich insights into human behaviour that controlled experimental designs simply cannot replicate. Despite this, they are heavily critiqued for their questionable reliability and generalisability.

In this article, we visit four of the most famous and debated case studies in the history of Psychology, exploring what they reveal about the human mind and how they have shaped both practice and theory. If you enjoyed our first collection of A-Level Psychology case studies, this second series picks up where that one left off, covering different cases across different areas of the subject.

Here is a quick overview of the four case studies covered and their exam relevance:

                                                                                                                                         

Case Study	Key Concept	A-Level Exam Relevance
Anna O.	The talking cure and the origins of psychoanalysis	Psychodynamic approach, therapeutic practice, subjectivity of case study research
Chris Sizemore	Dissociative identity disorder and the nature of identity	Diagnosis debates, trauma theory, reliability of case study evidence
Victor of Aveyron	Critical period hypothesis and nature vs nurture	Language acquisition, social deprivation, alternative explanations and confounding variables
Kim Peek	Savant syndrome and reductionist definitions of intelligence	Brain structure, neurodiversity, limitations of IQ as a measure of cognition

Anna O.: The Talking Cure

The case of Anna O. was pivotal to the development of psychoanalysis, an extremely well-rooted therapy practice within Psychology. Also known as Bertha Pappenheim, she was treated by Joseph Breuer in the late 19th century for an array of complex symptoms, including paralysis, hallucinations, disturbances in speech, and dramatic personality shifts. Crucially, no medical cause could be found, leading Breuer to turn to explanations of the mind.

Through conversations about her experiences, with particular emphasis on her grief following her father's illness, Anna O. reported relief from her symptoms. This led to the idea of the talking cure, later popularised by Freud as a cornerstone of psychoanalysis. The implication was striking: mental distress could be alleviated through being seen and heard. This ultimately paved the way for further evolutions of counselling psychology.

A-Level Exam Angle: Anna O. illustrates the psychodynamic approach in action. When evaluating this case, discuss how it challenged biological explanations of mental illness and emphasised unconscious processes. Examiners reward students who consider both what the case contributed AND its methodological limitations.

Upon critical examination, alternative interpretations begin to arise. Was Anna O.'s recovery as straightforward as originally claimed? There is evidence suggesting she may have suffered from a neurological condition such as epilepsy. Furthermore, Freud's later additions include the controversial claim of hysterical pregnancy, which raises concerns about retrospective interpretation and researcher bias.

Anna O. illustrates both the strengths and weaknesses of case studies. On one hand, her case challenged how we think about mental illness, emphasising the unconscious processes that are essential to therapeutic practice today. On the other hand, it highlights issues of subjectivity and the difficulty of verifying dated research.

Chris Sizemore: Fragmented Identity

Chris Sizemore's case remains one of the most well-known examples of what was previously called multiple personality disorder, now known as dissociative identity disorder (DID). Her experiences of distinct personalities, named Eve White, Eve Black, and Jane, captured attention across both the public and psychology professionals.

Sizemore's alters were hypothesised to be a response to childhood trauma. Psychologically, this draws on dissociation theory: individuals compartmentalise distressing experiences into separate identities as a coping mechanism. Fragmentation allows the individual to distance themselves from trauma that may be too overwhelming to face directly.

A-Level Exam Angle: DID is highly contested as a diagnosis. Use this case to discuss the reliability of diagnosis, the role of therapy in shaping reported symptoms, and whether the increase in DID diagnoses during the mid-20th century reflects genuine prevalence or cultural influence on clinical practice.

DID itself remains controversial. Critics argue the dramatic increase in diagnoses during the mid-20th century suggests overdiagnosis, while others challenge the very existence of distinct personalities, arguing they represent extreme role-playing or distortion.

Interestingly, Sizemore's multiple identities reportedly merged into a single, cohesive self over time. She continued to ascribe aspects of her past to different identities, including motherhood. This raises fascinating questions about the nature of identity and memory. To what extent is the self unified? How do we construct a sense of continuity across our lives?

The Wild Boy of Aveyron: The Nature-Nurture Debate

The discovery of Victor in 1800 offered psychologists a rare and deeply problematic natural experiment. Having grown up with minimal human contact, Victor provided a unique opportunity to examine the effects of extreme social deprivation on development.

When found, Victor's behaviours were far outside societal norms. He showed little interest in socialising or speaking, and was motivated primarily by basic needs such as hunger. Some observers suggested he acted more like a wild animal than a boy. Observing this, the notion of the noble savage was challenged: the idea that humans are inherently good and are corrupted by civilisation.

Jean-Marc Itard's attempts to educate Victor were partially successful. While Victor learned basic routines and some limited communication, he never developed fluent language. This outcome has been widely interpreted as evidence for the critical period hypothesis, which suggests there is a limited window in early childhood during which language must be acquired.

A-Level Exam Angle: This case is directly relevant to the nature-nurture debate and the critical period hypothesis. When evaluating, consider the confounding variable raised by Uta Frith, that Victor may have been autistic, which would mean his difficulties cannot be attributed solely to deprivation. This is the kind of alternative explanation examiners reward.

Psychologists such as Uta Frith have suggested that Victor may have been autistic, which could account for his communicative and social difficulties. This makes the case study questionable as reliable evidence for the critical period hypothesis, since we cannot confidently isolate social deprivation as the sole cause. For further reading on neurodevelopmental differences, our post on study skills and tips for dyslexia and neurodiversity explores how these differences affect learning.

Victor's case is invaluable for exploring the nature-nurture debate. It demonstrates the importance of early social interaction while also highlighting the fundamental difficulty of isolating variables in real-world contexts.

Kim Peek: Challenging the Notion of Intelligence

Kim Peek, nicknamed 'Kim-puter', challenges traditional ideas of intelligence. He had significant developmental difficulties, including poor motor coordination and limited abstract reasoning. Despite this, Peek possessed extraordinary memory abilities. He could recall the contents of 12,000 books with remarkable accuracy.

We now refer to this as savant syndrome, where individuals display specific exceptional abilities despite broader cognitive impairments. His skills included calendar calculation, encyclopaedic knowledge, and rapid information retrieval, all of which far exceeded those of most individuals.

Peek was born with structural brain abnormalities, notably the absence of a corpus callosum. This is the region that bridges the two hemispheres of the brain and allows them to communicate. His case raises important questions about the relationship between brain structure and cognitive function.

A-Level Exam Angle: Kim Peek's case directly challenges reductionist definitions of intelligence. Use it to critique the use of IQ as a single measure of cognitive ability and to discuss how different cognitive functions may operate independently. This links to debates about localisation of brain function and the limitations of the biological approach.

Peek's case highlights that different cognitive functions may operate independently and challenges reductionist definitions of intelligence, suggesting that cognitive abilities cannot be reduced to a single measure such as IQ.

However, generalisability is limited. Peek's abilities were highly unusual, making it difficult to draw conclusions about broader human cognition. For students interested in how neurodiversity relates to learning, our post on psychology myths, facts or fiction covers several related misconceptions that frequently come up in exam questions.

Evaluating Case Studies as a Research Method

These strengths and limitations are not merely methodological concerns. They shape how psychological knowledge itself is constructed. Case studies remind us that psychology is not just about universal laws, but also about individual lives and experiences.

                                                                                       

Strengths	Limitations
Depth and richness: case studies provide detailed, nuanced accounts of individual experiences	Lack of generalisability: findings from one individual cannot easily be applied to others
Theory generation: many major psychological theories have grown from case study observations	Subjectivity: researcher bias and interpretation can shape conclusions
Study of rare phenomena: conditions like DID or savant syndrome are difficult or unethical to study experimentally	Retrospective issues: historical cases often rely on incomplete or unreliable records

For students working on extended writing questions, understanding how to evaluate a research method is as important as knowing the case studies themselves. Our post on what makes a 16-marker shine, written by an AQA Psychology examiner, gives a clear picture of exactly what distinguishes top-band answers from the rest.

Conclusion: What Do These Cases Really Teach Us?

The case studies explored here, Anna O., Chris Sizemore, Victor of Aveyron, and Kim Peek, each reveal something profound about human psychology. They challenge assumptions, inspire theories, and invite debate.

The most important takeaway is one of understanding the individual. Human behaviour is complex and resists psychology's compulsion to simplify its nature through general laws. Case studies capture this complexity in a way that no experiment can fully replicate, but they also remind us to question and remain open to alternative interpretations.

For A-Level Psychology students, critical thinking with these cases is essential. Not just learning what happened, but asking: how do we know? What are the limitations? What else could explain this? Because in psychology, the story is rarely as straightforward as it first appears.

Wider reading is the secret weapon to top grades. If you are building your revision strategy around these cases, our guide on the science of effective revision covers the memory techniques most likely to help you retain this kind of complex material. For essay writing technique, writing a great essay in six simple steps is worth working through alongside your past paper practice.

If you are working through A-Level Psychology and would benefit from one-to-one support with case study analysis and essay technique, an A-Level Psychology tutor can help you develop the critical evaluation skills that separate a B from an A at this level.

Bibliography

• American Psychological Association. (2018, April 19). Wild boy of Aveyron. APA Dictionary of Psychology.
• Brogaard, B. (2012, December 11). Kim Peek, the Real Rain Man. Psychology Today.
• Freud, S., and Breuer, J. (1955). Studies on hysteria. In J. Strachey (Ed. and Trans.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 2). Hogarth Press. (Original work published 1895).
• Geerardyn, F. (2016). The Princeps Case of Psychoanalysis: Breuer's Anna O. Revisited. jcfar.org.uk.
• McLeod, S. A. (2024, January 24). Case study research method in psychology. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/case-study.html
• Sizemore, C. C., and Huber, E. S. (1988). A mind of my own. Doubleday.
• Thigpen, C. H., and Cleckley, H. M. (1954). A case of multiple personality. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 49(2), 135-151.
• Treffert, D. A., and Christensen, D. D. (2009). Inside the mind of a savant. Scientific American, 292(6), 56-63.
• Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.