Final answer:
Karen Horney's research approach primarily utilized clinical case studies, which allowed in-depth examination of individual subjects, contributing to her theories on personality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Horney's actual research approach relied mainly on clinical case studies. Karen Horney, a psychoanalytic psychologist, used this method similar to Sigmund Freud's approach, which involved conducting in-depth interviews with clients over time. This provided the basis for her theories on neurosis and human personality. Unlike surveys or observational studies, which gather data from larger groups but may offer limited depth, or experiments, which can establish causality but may be less applicable to real-world settings, case studies allow for an intensive analysis of individual subjects, leading to potentially deep insights into psychological phenomena.
Case studies are extensively used in fields like education, psychology, sociology, and linguistics to draw conclusions through observation. This method is particularly beneficial when experimental studies are not possible or ethical, as it allows researchers to examine existing conditions in detail. While case studies can provide rich qualitative data, they have limitations in terms of generalizability and the potential for researcher bias.