Introduction to Psychology Case Studies

29 Apr Introduction to Psychology Case Studies

This week you will continue working on your project by applying the concepts you learned in Week 2 (Brain and Behavior; Sensation and Perception) and Week 3 (Learning and Memory) to your chosen case study.

Please use Case Study on

Allen Whitcomb Reports:

47 years old; married with two children in college
Has been healthy all his life, but recently had a bad car accident and lost a leg;
he was texting while driving
Reports that the car that hit him appeared to be farther away and moving slower
than it was
Reports chronic pain since the accident; and takes over-the-counter medications
to reduce discomfort
Reports that his trouble at work is due to pain, but therapist thinks he has anxiety
because his mother always said he wasn’t good enough
Believes he can succeed at work if he can “get it together”
Is color blind
Says his heart rate increases when he hears the song that was on the radio
when he got in the accident; this also happens when any similar-sounding song
plays
Has gained 20 pounds since the accident and is trying to lose it
He knows his wife loves him no matter what; he believes she can do no wrong
Thinks all managers at work are unfair and overly directive
Feels people think of him as disabled and treat him differently because of his
injury
Erin Whitcomb (Allen’s Wife) Reports:
He is always seeking a calm, quiet environment.
He always seems on edge.

Introduction to Psychology Case Studies-Allen Whitcomb 

She describes him as quiet, tense, anxious, and unfriendly.

He has never had many close friends.

She loves him no matter what.

He watches television a lot since the accident and treated her unkindly after
watching violent television shows, but he seems to feel bad and is trying to stop

that.

She encourages him to remain as active as possible.

She wants him to contribute to the family, community, and society.

Dawn Taylor (Allen’s Therapist) Reports:
He has difficulty sleeping, has continued pain after the accident, and reports
feelings of sadness and fatigue.
Therapist is teaching him to control his heart rate and breathing when he feels
stressed.
He remembers how to drive a car, but cannot remember the accident itself,
except for the song that was playing when it happened.
Therapist has told him to smile more throughout the day to help improve his
mood.
Therapist is encouraging him to take online classes to develop his sense of selfworth and feelings of contributing to the greater good.
Mark Flowers (Allen’s Manager) Reports:
Allen works the night shift but is having attendance problems, frequently showing
up late and calling in sick.
Manager is setting attendance goals with him and he is working toward earning
lunch for his team based on timely attendance.
Since Allen returned to work after his accident, the filing system has changed
and he now frequently gets confused.
Allen has trouble remembering information for more than a few seconds.
Introduction to Psychology Case Studies-Allen Whitcomb 
Allen is frequently late to work.

Allen performs better when he is working with the rest of his team.

Suggested Keywords for Searching Walden Library
Texting, driving, attention
Work, attendance, reinforcement
Classical conditioning and trauma
Chronic pain and depression
Unconditional love and marriage
Television violence and aggression
Social learning theory and aggression
Biofeedback therapy and anxiety
Improve attendance and incentive
Goal setting and behavior change
Head injury and memory
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