I&D- Idiographic and Nomothetic approach

Question 1

Define the Nomothetic approach

Answer 1

Studying what WE SHARE with others and generalising our behaviour

Question 2

Define the Idiographic approach

Answer 2

Studying to discover what makes EACH of us UNIQUE

Question 3

Each of these approaches are determined through two types of sciences, name them

Answer 3

Nomothetic- is the Laws of nature from the ‘Natural Sciences’
Idiographic- is studying behaviour and meaning from ‘Social Sciences’

Question 4

What does Nomothetic approaches tend to focus on

Answer 4

Focus on Discovering laws or establishing generalisations

Question 5

List the approaches that using Nomothetic thinking and give an examples of how

Answer 5

1. Behaviourist- Pavlov’s dogs was using classical conditioning
   - Skinner’s rats was using operant conditioning
2. Social Learning Theory- used rules about Role Models = Bobo doll study
3. Cognitive- Model’s of memory = MSM, WMM< Inference theory, Post event discussion, cognitive Interview
4. Biological- genes controlling specific characteristics in everyone with
   that genotype
   - Twins study
5. Psychodynamic approach- Tripartite structure of personality

Question 6

List approaches that use the idiographic approach and give examples how

Answer 6

1. Humanistic approach- is focused on one self= Maslow’s hierarchy of needs - different needs for fulfillment so it is subjective
2. Psychodynamic approach- it involves incredibly detailed accounts and interpretations of an individual’s childhood experiences

Question 7

Name the case study that is idiographic and in the memory topic

Answer 7

KF study- individual case study–> hard to generalise
Shallice and Warrington 1970
motorbike accident
KF’s STM forgets auditory information
His visual information was not affected, showing there are multiple components to the STM

Question 8

Name the personality test that is Nomothetic

Answer 8

Eysenck’s personality theory- suggests personality is divided into categories, introversion and extraversion, neuroticism and stability

Question 9

What is the name of the research who believes the distinction between idiographic and Nomothetic is a false distinction
explain why

Answer 9

Holt (1967)
This is because approaches take advantages of both idiographic and Nomothetic approaches. For example, cognitive psychologists take a Nomothetic approach to create general rules but idiographic use case studies e.g. KF.
Therefore, distinction between them is meaningless, as psychologists should use both methods depending on the question

Question 10

In psychopathology name the antidepressant that is used to treat OCD
and it this Nomothetic or idiographic

Answer 10

For example, biological psychologists take a Nomothetic approach when explain that SSRI’s are drugs used to prevent the re-absorption of serotonin to increase the availability of serotonin in the synapse
It is Nomothetic because it is evidence-based research (drug therapy)that can be generalised to everyone
due to their being a neurotransmitter imbalance in all OCD patients

Question 11

1st para:
evaluation of Idiographic and Nomothetic

Strength of the i________ approach is that it has a f____ on one i_________ instead of a l___ sam__ of ppts.
-validity, qualitative data, indepth
researcher- All____
MSM __ case study examined by S_______ and Wa_______ 197_

Answer 11

P- A strength of the idiographic approach is that it has a focus on one individual instead of a large sample of participants, which increases the validity of this approach, as it collects qualitative data that is in-depth. This meant that a researcher can get a deep understanding of an individual’s problem, in order to get the right support needed to help them.
E- For example, Allport argued that you have to know a person to predict what they will do in any situation: such as the KF case study, examined by Shallice and Warrington 1970.
E- This study provided evidence to suggest that the MSM theory was incorrect, because KF’s auditory information was damaged more than his visual information, which meant that there are multiple components to the STM.
L- The impact of this case study from using an idiographic approach, discovered that the Nomothetic theory of the MSM (Atkinson and Shiffrin) has research-based evidence against their findings because of an idiographic approach.

Question 12

2nd para
evaluation

Furthermore, the N________ approach is s_______ and its Meas______ are prec___, r______ and O______ which is useful to predict b_________
research- Bi__________ psych’s = O__, SSR_

Answer 12

P- Furthermore, the Nomothetic approach is considered as scientific. The use of experimental (quantitative) methods, controlled measurement and the ability to predict behaviour, are all strengths of the Nomothetic approach.
E- For example, Biological Psychologists take a nomothetic approach when explaining obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and claim that OCD is caused by higher levels of dopamine and lower levels of serotonin which demonstrates that Nomothetic research finds that drug therapies are developed and work by readdressing a biological imbalance.
E- Therefore, SSRIs are used to treat OCD and increase the availability and uptake of serotonin, to reduce the anxiety associated with OCD.
L- This positively impacts the lives of people suffering from this condition, as a result of nomothetic the research.

Question 13

3rd Para:

However, dr__ tre_______ aren’t suc_____ for all
example, C__ helps and is more personal
researchers MI_____ and Da___ 199_
so, should com____ both I_____ and N______ approaches

Answer 13

P- However, drug treatments are not successful for all patients, so some psychologists argue that alternate treatments.
E- For example Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) that helps to improve the way you think and behave, which is more personal compared to taking SSRI’s.
E-This means that, an idiographic approach is more suitable for treating some individuals with disorders such as OCD , because the therapists help the patients one to one and get a deeper insight into the patients’ thoughts and feelings, in order to help change and reduce anxiety.
L- So, some researchers such as Million and Davis (1996), suggest that both approaches should combine, and research should start with Nomothetic idiographic to put in general laws , then after go to an Idiographic approach to focus on the understanding of the research.

Question 14

Para 4:

In addition, thus leads to what H____ (196) argues which is there is a fa___ dis_______ between both a________
example, C_______ ps_______
use N________ to develop gen____ L____ and use a Id_______ technique through c____ st____ for example __ and H.
Therefore, distinction between them is m______.

Answer 14

P- In addition, this leads into what Holt (1967) argues which is that there is a false distinction between both approaches, because some psychologists use both and take advantage of them.
E- For example, Cognitive psychologists typically use a Nomothetic approach to develop general laws, but also use Case studies for example, KF and HM which is an Idiographic technique.
L- Therefore, the distinction between them is seen to be meaningless as psychologists should use both methods depending on the research question.