Week 4 Case study essay (30%) (LO1, LO2, LO3)
Analyse a case study with reference to two personality theories
In this essay, you will analyse one of the two case studies with regards to two personality
theories of your choice. The length should be no more than 1000 words (-/+10%, including
in-text references/excluding the reference list).
Essay Overview
Choose one of the two case studies (Rachel or Michael) outlined below to analyse. Link the characteristics of the case studies to two personality theories of your choice. You do not have to restrict yourself to theories from the lectures. Anything that is of interest/can be applied as long as it is of psychological origin and relevant in this essay.
You can choose two theories from a broader umbrella theory (e.g., analyse two trait theories). You can also choose two theories from different approaches (e.g., use one theory from the nomothetic, and another one from the idiographic approach). You will need to be critical and analytical in your approach, so do make sure that the theories you choose aresuitable for this. You also need to back up your observations with relevant research.
Structure
Always begin an essay with a couple of lines to set the scene – what is the essay about and
what will it discuss?
After you have chosen the personality theories, write an introductory paragraph outlining the characteristics/importance of the theories. The introductory paragraph should lay groundwork for the main body, where you analyse the case studies in relation to the theories. Introduce the same theories that you will use later in the analyses.
In the main body, outline how the case study relates to theories and research. You should use recent research to convince the reader about the links between the case and the
theories. For example, you may want to analyse Rachel with a reference to theory X. You could have a look at the literature for theory X and some aspects of Rachel’s behaviour/attitudes/history (e.g., X and friendships, X and entrepreneurship, X and creativity, X and manipulativeness, X and bullying, X and strive to succeed etc etc). You could then make a case for theory X and applicability to Rachel via the empirical literature.
It is important that you identify how your two chosen theories explain the behaviour differently. This can feed into your brief conclusion. Are the two theories sufficient in explaining the person in the case? Is there a need for additional theories?
Note that you don’t have to analyse every single feature of the case study as this is only a short essay. You don’t have to explain the case study again- just write about each feature you will be talking about briefly, and then look at how the theories have been tested in research, linking the case study to the theories. The main aim of this essay is for you to illustrate that you can take the theory and research and apply it to people and real behaviour.
Case study 1 – Rachel
Rachel is a successful entrepreneur in her mid-forties. She runs clothes stalls in popular indoor markets in London and Manchester. Because of Rachel’s hard work, perseverance, and creativity, she was able to build her business with very little resources. Indeed, Rachel is from a working-class background, left school at the age of 16, and worked in several unskilled labour jobs before starting her own company. She is meticulous in her approach to work, and is determined to be more successful than her parents were. Some of Rachel’s success could be attributed to her somewhat ruthless attitudes towards others. She knows what she wants, and will achieve her goals, even if it is at the expense of others. As an example, at the beginning of her career as an entrepreneur she befriended one of the people who was responsible for organising stall rental agreements in London. As a result of this befriending, Rachel obtained a good rental deal that allowed her to start the business. She is no longer friends with this individual, as they fell out after a seemingly minor argument.
Rachel can be very charming when she meets new people. She is the life and soul of any party and knows how to have good time. Others are initially attracted to her because of her good looks and quick wit. However, she also has a nasty streak, which makes her behaviour unpredictable at times. This has resulted in very few long-term friendships, and a string of short-term sexual partners rather than serious relationships.
As a child, Rachel could be described a bit of a loner. Indeed, she often blurted out things that could be thought of as unkind, which alienated other children. She liked to be in control and see how far others would go obeying her commands. Rachel was a popular, but also a somewhat feared character in school.
Case study 2 – Michael
Michael is in his early thirties. He is a father to two young children and married to his first girlfriend who he met while in college. Due to loss of customers, Michael has been recently laid off from his job as an IT manager in a small company. Michael has always been a kind, considerate individual, putting others before himself. However, since the redundancy, his wife has noticed that Michael has started to act somewhat out of character. He has stopped helping with the household chores and is often moody and impatient. His wife has started wondering whether she really knows the person she has been married to for more than a decade.
Deep inside, Michael has always felt a little bit shy, but has managed to mask it from other people by forcing himself to behave in a sociable manner. If given the choice, he would rather stay at home and watch series on Netflix than socialise with people. While Michael was still in work, he did get pleasure from occasional after-work drinks with his colleagues. They always thought that he was sympathetic and funny, in a quiet kind of way. Michael has always been obsessed with order. Even as a child, he made sure his room was in immaculate condition, with his numerous toy cars coordinated according to colour. His parents were active members of the local branch of the Pentecostal church, and Michael
