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Visual inspection, the primary data analysis method in single-subject research, has three potential limitations. First, it may lack the sensitivity needed to detect weak treatment effects. Second, its reliability can be questionable, as different researchers might arrive at distinct conclusions regarding the effectiveness of a treatment from the same data set. Third, unlike statistical measures of relationship strength used in group research, the overall judgments produced by visual inspection are difficult to efficiently summarize or systematically compare across multiple studies.

Limitations of Visual Inspection

Single-subject researchers address concerns about the sensitivity and reliability of visual inspection by focusing exclusively on strong, consistent effects and employing the steady state strategy. If a treatment effect is weak or the data is noisy, researchers attempt to enhance the effect's strength or reduce noise by strictly controlling extraneous variables. If an effect remains difficult to detect visually despite these controls, single-subject researchers typically conclude it is not sufficiently robust or consistent to warrant further interest, rather than relying on statistical methods to detect weak effects.

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