Final answer:
The Phineas Gage incident is a classic example of a case study, which provided insights into the functions of the frontal lobe.
Step-by-step explanation:
The famous study of Phineas Gage, who survived when a metal rod pierced his skull, is an example of a case study. Phineas Gage was a 19th-century railroad worker who experienced a severe brain injury when a tamping iron was propelled into his frontal lobe. This incident resulted in major personality changes, which were carefully documented by his physician, John M. Harlow. The extensive observations of Gage's behavior following the accident provided researchers and psychologists with invaluable insights into the functions of the frontal lobe and its role in personality and behavior. His situation is one of the earliest and most cited case studies in the field of brain injury and neuropsychology.