Idiographic And Nomothetic

Question 1

Define idiographic.

Answer 1

Focuses on understanding the individual.
Qualitative methods.

Question 2

Define nomothetic.

Answer 2

Focuses on similarities between people and attempts to establish a general law.
Often resulting in quantitative data.
More scientific.

Question 3

Give one example of a topic area which demonstrates the nomothetic approach.

Answer 3

Using SSRIs to treat OCD.
Establishes a general treatment and assumes each sufferers cause is general.

Question 4

Give one example of an idiographic approach.

Answer 4

Maslows hierarchy of needs.
Everyone moves up hierarchy differently.

Question 5

Give one strength of the ideographic and nomothetic debate.

Answer 5

Both approaches fit the aims of science as they gain objectivity through standardisation.
E.g. ideographic - objectivity through reflexivity.
Both approaches support psychology as a science.

Question 6

Explain one weakness of the nomothetic approach.

Answer 6

Focuses only on general laws.
E.g. knowing that there is a 1% risk of getting schizophrenia says little about having the disorder.
Loses any understanding of an individual.