Idiographic And Nomathetic Apprach

Question 1

Idiographic

Answer 1

1. To describe the nature of individuals behaviours and their subjective experiences
2. No concern to compare these to other people

Question 2

What sort of research methods are associated with idiographic

Answer 2

1. Qualities data
2. Case studies
3. Unstructured interviews
4. Self-report
   - to describe the rich detail of human experience

Question 3

Nomatetic

Answer 3

1. General laws about human behaviour to provide a benchmark to be compared to
2. Universally applied
3. Scientific research methods which typically involve a large number of people

Question 4

Examples of ideographic

Answer 4

1. Humanist only interested in the unique individual experience
2. Psychodynamic case study’s are ideographic but then his conclusions with universally applied

Question 5

Examples of nomothetic

Answer 5

1. The more reductionist approaches
2. Behaviourist, cognitive and biological all make sure of massive samples to be analysed for statistical significance
3. This produced universal principles to be be applied to all

Question 6

Case for idiographic

Answer 6

1. Provides a complete and comprehensive account of individual experiences
2. Compliments nomothetic by shedding light on areas it rejects

Question 7

Against ideographic

Answer 7

1. Very narrow restriction of work
2. Cannot generalise findings as Freud did with Little Hans and the Oedipus complex
3. Research methods employed also tent to be more subjective and open to bias

Question 8

Cause for nomothetic

Answer 8

1. Scientific research using standardised procedures, statistical analysis and high control
2. Allows the scientific study of what is ‘normal’ and thus what is abnormal

Question 9

Case against nomothetic

Answer 9

1. Can lose meaning as focus is not on people
2. For instance, knowing a 1% risk of SZ does not tell us what it is like
3. In lab studies many aspects and influences overlooked
4. Cause and effect so that is kind of the point

Question 10

Complementary rather than contradictory

Answer 10

1. Can look at cases such as Clive wearing (ideo)
2. But also look at capacity and duration in many
3. Goal of psychology to describe in detail human behaviour but to illustrate it through a framework with nomothetic / universal laws