Idiograohic and nomothetic

Question 1

Idiographic

Answer 1

Focuses on the individual case as means of understanding behaviour rather than aiming to formulate general laws of behaviour.

Question 2

Nomothetic

Answer 2

Attempts to study human behaviour through the development of general laws and principles.

Question 3

Idiographic examples

Answer 3

Little Hans Case Study
Introspection

Question 4

Nomothetic Examples

Answer 4

Biological approach (biologists have conducted countless brain scans)
behaviour approach (skinner studied hundreds of rats, pigeons and cats)
Social learning theory/ bono doll case study

Question 5

Arguments for idiographic approach

Answer 5

Depth
Detailed
Qualitative Method

Question 6

Arguments against idiographic approach

Answer 6

Cannot generalise
Not scientific
Open bias
Subjective

Question 7

Arguments for nomothetic approach

Answer 7

Scientific credibility
Standardised conditions
Statistical analysis

Question 8

Arguments against nomothetic approach

Answer 8

Overlook richness of human experience
People are treated as a series of scores rather than individuals