📚 Case Study Practical Drill for Year 11 SQA Psychology | 案例分析实战演练
Case study questions form a core part of the SQA National 5 and Higher Psychology assessment. They test not only your knowledge of psychological theories and research, but also your ability to apply that knowledge to real-world scenarios. This practical drill will guide you through a systematic approach to analysing any psychological case study, with clear examples and a model answer.
案例分析题是SQA国家五级和高级心理学评估的核心部分。它不仅考察你对心理学理论和研究的掌握，更考验你将知识应用于真实情境的能力。本次实战演练将带你系统掌握分析心理案例的方法，配以清晰的示例和示范答案。
1. What is a Case Study Question? | 什么是案例分析问题？
A case study question presents a short narrative about an individual or group. Your task is to identify relevant psychological concepts, explain them accurately, and use theories/research to analyse the behaviour described. In SQA exams, these questions often carry significant marks and require extended responses.
案例分析题会提供关于个人或群体的简短叙述。你的任务是识别相关的心理学概念，准确解释，并运用理论／研究分析其中描述的行为。在SQA考试中，这类问题通常分值较高，需要展开作答。
Typically, the stem introduces characters, a situation, and specific behaviours. You might be asked to 'explain why' or 'apply psychological knowledge to explain'. Marks are allocated for identification, description, application, and sometimes evaluation.
题干通常会介绍人物、情境和具体行为。你可能会被要求“解释原因”或“运用心理学知识解释”。评分依据包括识别概念、描述、应用，有时还包括评估。
2. Steps to Analyse a Case Study | 案例分析步骤
Break the process into five clear stages: (1) Read the stem carefully and highlight key behaviours; (2) Identify the psychological theme (e.g., conformity, memory); (3) Select the most relevant theory or model; (4) Link specific study evidence to the scenario; (5) Formulate your answer using the PEEL structure (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link).
将分析过程分解为五个清晰步骤：（1）仔细阅读题干，标出关键行为；（2）识别心理学主题（如从众、记忆）；（3）选择最相关的理论或模型；（4）将具体的研究证据与情境联系起来；（5）用PEEL结构（观点、证据、解释、联系）组织答案。
These steps ensure you do not miss crucial details and that your answer stays focused on the demands of the question. Practice them with past papers until they become automatic.
这些步骤可以确保你不遗漏关键细节，并使答案紧扣题目要求。通过历年真题反复练习，直到形成自动化反应。
3. Identifying Psychological Concepts | 识别心理学概念
Look for words or actions that signal classic psychological processes. For instance, if a person goes along with a group even when they privately disagree, 'conformity' is likely. If someone alters their behaviour in response to an instruction from an authority figure, consider 'obedience'. Other common concepts include: cognitive dissonance, bystander apathy, schemas, and reinforcement.
留意那些暗示经典心理过程的词语或行为。例如，如果一个人私下不认同却随大流，很可能涉及“从众”；如果因权威人物的指令而改变行为，则要考虑“服从”。其他常见概念有：认知失调、旁观者冷漠、图式、强化。
Underline specific phrases in the case that illustrate these concepts. For SQA, you often need to name the concept and provide a definition. After that, you must directly apply the definition to the scenario.
在案例中划出体现这些概念的具体语句。在SQA考试中，你通常需要先说出概念名称并给出定义，然后将定义直接应用到案例情境。
4. Applying Theories: Conformity | 运用理论：从众
Many case studies revolve around social influence. Take conformity—when an individual yields to group pressure. Two key explanations are normative social influence (desire to be liked) and informational social influence (desire to be right). Explain which one fits the scenario, and why.
许多案例围绕社会影响展开。就以从众为例——个体屈服于群体压力。两个关键解释是规范社会影响（渴望被喜欢）和信息社会影响（渴望正确）。解释哪一种更适合所给情境，并说明理由。
For example, if a teenager starts smoking because all their friends do it and they fear rejection, normative influence is at work. If they genuinely believe the group is more knowledgeable about the risks, informational influence applies.
例如，如果一个青少年因为所有朋友都吸烟且害怕被排斥而开始吸烟，就是规范影响在起作用。如果他们真心认为群体更了解吸烟风险，则适用信息影响。
5. Supporting with Research: Asch’s Study | 引用研究证据：阿希实验
To back up your application, cite relevant research. For conformity, Solomon Asch (1951) is the classic study. Outline the aim, method (line-judgment task with confederates), results (75% conformed at least once), and conclusion. Then link these findings to the case: 'Just as Asch’s naïve participants conformed to a unanimous majority, Jack conforms to his peer group.'
为支持你的应用，需引用相关研究。对于从众，所罗门·阿希（1951）的经典实验就是必备。概述目的、方法（与同谋者的线段判断任务）、结果（75%至少从众一次）和结论。然后将这些发现与案例联系起来：“正如阿希实验中天真的被试服从于一致多数，杰克也服从于他的同伴群体。”
Remember to mention variations of Asch’s study—larger group size increased conformity, but a dissenter lowered it. You can use these to predict or explain why a character resists or yields to pressure.
记得提及阿希实验的变式——更大群体增大从众率，但一个异议者能降低从众。你可以借此预测或解释故事人物为何抵制或屈服于压力。
6. Considering Individual and Situational Factors | 考量个体与情境因素
Psychological behaviour arises from an interaction between personal disposition and the environment. When analysing a case, comment on personality traits (e.g., high self-esteem, locus of control) and situational factors (e.g., presence of an authority figure, time pressure).
心理行为源于个人性格与环境的交互作用。分析案例时，需评论人格特质（如高自尊、控制点）和情境因素（如权威人物在场、时间压力）。
For instance, in a helping behaviour scenario, a character with an internal locus of control may be more likely to take action than someone with an external locus. Similarly, the ambiguity of an emergency can affect the likelihood of bystander intervention.
例如，在助人行为情境中，内控型人物比外控型人物更可能采取行动。同样，紧急情况的模糊性会影响旁观者干预的可能性。
7. Evaluating Strengths and Weaknesses | 评估优势与局限
Higher-mark questions often ask you to evaluate the explanation or research. Discuss methodological issues such as ecological validity, sample bias, ethics, and reliability. Link your evaluation back to the case—'The study’s high internal validity strengthens the explanation, but because it used a male-only sample, the application to a female character may be limited.'
高分题目常要求你评估所作解释或研究。讨论方法论问题，如生态效度、样本偏差、伦理和信度。将评估与案例联系起来——“该研究内部效度高，强化了所给解释；但由于只用了男性样本，将其应用于女性角色可能存在局限。”
Always balance strengths and weaknesses. A good SQA answer shows you can think critically about psychological knowledge, not just repeat it. Use phrases such as 'This is a strength because...' or 'A weakness is that...'
始终平衡优势与局限。优秀的SQA答案表明你能够批判性思考心理学知识，而不仅仅是复述。使用诸如“这是一个优势，因为……”或“一个局限是……”的表达。
8. Structuring Your Answer | 组织你的答案
For extended responses, use the PEEL framework:
- Point – State the psychological concept you are going to discuss.
- Evidence – Describe the research study that supports your point.
- Explanation – Show how the research explains the behaviour in the case. Use linking phrases like 'This shows that...', 'In the scenario...'.
- Link – Conclude the paragraph by tying it back to the question.
对于扩展性回答，使用PEEL框架：
- 观点（Point） – 陈述你将讨论的心理学概念。
- 证据（Evidence） – 描述支持你观点的研究。
- 解释（Explanation） – 说明研究如何解释案例中的行为。使用“这表明……”“在情境中……”等连接短语。
- 联系（Link） – 通过回扣题目来总结本段。
A well-structured answer is easier to mark and ensures you cover all assessment objectives. Aim for one PEEL paragraph per concept or per stage of analysis.
结构清晰的答案更容易评分，也能确保你覆盖所有评估目标。每个概念或分析阶段可写一个PEEL段落。
9. Sample Case Study: Jack’s Dilemma | 示例案例：杰克的困境
Read the following case carefully:
Jack, 15, has just moved to a new school. He is keen to make friends. His classmates often skip homework to play video games. Although Jack knows that skipping homework is risky, he joins in every time because he doesn’t want to seem different. He even tells his parents he has 'no homework' when asked. Jack feels uncomfortable but continues to conform.
仔细阅读以下案例：
15岁的杰克刚转入一所新学校，渴望交到朋友。他的同学们经常逃掉作业去打电子游戏。虽然杰克知道逃作业有风险，但他每次都跟着做，因为不想显得与众不同。当父母询问时，他甚至说“没有作业”。杰克感到不舒服，但仍然继续从众。
10. Step-by-Step Analysis | 逐步分析
Step 1 – Highlight key behaviours: 'joins in every time', 'doesn’t want to seem different', 'feels uncomfortable', 'lies to parents'. These all point to conformity driven by social pressure.
第一步 – 标出关键行为：“每次都跟着做”“不想显得与众不同”“感到不舒服”“对父母撒谎”。这些都表明由社会压力驱动的从众行为。
Step 2 – Identify the psychological theme: Conformity, specifically normative social influence.
第二步 – 识别心理学主题：从众，尤其是规范社会影响。
Step 3 – Choose a theory: Deutsch & Gerard’s dual-process model of conformity: normative influence (compliance without private acceptance) and informational influence. Here, normative influence is dominant.
第三步 – 选择理论：多伊奇与杰勒德的从众双过程模型：规范影响（无内心接受的顺从）与信息影响。此处规范影响占主导。
Step 4 – Apply the theory: Jack publicly conforms to avoid rejection (normative), but privately rejects the behaviour (he knows it’s risky and feels uncomfortable). This is compliance, not internalisation.
第四步 – 应用理论：杰克公开从众以避免被排斥（规范），但内心并不接受该行为（他知道有风险且感到不舒服）。这是顺从，而非内化。
Step 5 – Link to research: Asch’s study demonstrates that many participants conformed to a majority even when the answer was obviously wrong, due to fear of ridicule. The average conformity rate was 32% across trials. When Asch allowed one dissenter, conformity dropped to 5.5%, showing the power of unanimity—exactly what Jack faces in his class group.
第五步 – 联系研究：阿希实验表明，即使答案明显错误，许多被试也因害怕被嘲笑而服从多数。平均从众率为32%。当阿希安排一个异议者时，从众率降至5.5%，显示出一致性的强大力量——这正是杰克面对班集体时的情况。
Step 6 – Evaluate: Asch’s study is well-controlled and replicable, but it lacks ecological validity because line-judging is trivial. Also, it used only male participants, limiting generalisability to female students. However, it strongly supports the normative influence explanation for Jack’s behaviour.
第六步 – 评估：阿希实验控制良好且可重复，但缺乏生态效度，因为线段判断是琐事。同时，它只用了男性被试，限制了向女生的推广性。不过，它强有力地支持了对杰克行为的规范影响解释。
11. Model Answer | 示范答案
Here is a sample answer built around the above analysis:
以下是基于上述分析构建的示范答案：
'Jack’s behaviour can be explained by conformity, specifically normative social influence. According to Deutsch and Gerard, normative influence occurs when an individual conforms to group norms to be liked and accepted. In the scenario, Jack joins his classmates in skipping homework because he does not want to seem different, despite privately knowing it is wrong. This shows compliance—outward change without internal belief. Jack also lies to his parents, further indicating that he is conforming to peer expectations rather than his own values.
‘杰克的行为可以用从众，尤其是规范社会影响来解释。根据多伊奇与杰勒德，规范影响发生在个体为获得喜爱与接纳而遵从群体规范时。在情境中，杰克跟着同学逃作业，因为他不想显得与众不同，尽管他私下知道这是错误的。这显示了顺从——外部改变而无内心认同。杰克还对父母撒谎，进一步表明他顺从的是同伴期望而非自身价值观。
‘Asch’s (1951) line-judgment study provides strong research support. Asch found that 75% of naïve participants conformed to a unanimous incorrect majority at least once. Interviews revealed they feared disapproval. This mirrors Jack’s fear of standing out. However, Asch’s task was artificial, so caution is needed when applying it to a real-life school context. Additionally, the all-male sample limits how well the findings can explain female conformity. Despite this, the study robustly demonstrates the power of group pressure, making it a useful explanation for Jack’s case.’
‘阿希（1951）的线段判断实验提供了强有力的研究支持。阿希发现75%的天真被试至少一次服从了完全一致但明显错误的多数。访谈显示他们害怕被否定。这反映了杰克害怕显眼的心理。然而，阿希的任务是人为的，在应用于真实学校情境时需谨慎。此外，全男性样本限制了该发现解释女性从众的能力。尽管如此，该研究有力地证明了群体压力的力量，使其成为解释杰克案例的有用依据。’
12. Common Pitfalls to Avoid | 常见误区
Avoid these frequent mistakes: (a) identifying a concept but not defining it; (b) describing a study without linking it to the case; (c) using evaluation as an afterthought—build it into your PEEL paragraphs; (d) neglecting the command word, such as 'explain' vs 'evaluate'; (e) providing a generic answer that could fit any case. Always use specific character names and scenario details.
避免这些常见错误：（a）识别了概念但未下定义；（b）描述了研究却没有与案例联系；（c）评估流于形式——应融入PEEL段落；（d）忽略指令词，如“解释”与“评估”的区别；（e）给出适用于任何案例的泛泛回答。务必使用具体人名和情境细节。
Also, do not simply retell the story. Your job is to use psychology to illuminate the behaviour, not to summarise the narrative. Practise writing concise, evidence-based paragraphs that stay focused on the question.
另外，不要只是复述故事。你的任务是运用心理学阐明行为，而非概括叙述。练习撰写简洁、以证据为基础的段落，始终聚焦于题目。
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