Idiographic And Nomothetic Approaches

Question 1

What is the idiographic approach

Answer 1

Psychology should be the study of individuals because by studying individuals in detail, we cab understand human behaviour better

Question 2

What is the nomothetic approach

Answer 2

Psychology should be the study of large and varied groups to make generalisations about what is typical in different aspects of human behaviour

Question 3

What is the type of ppts number in an idiographic research

Answer 3

Small no. Of ppts often a small case of a single individual or group

Question 4

Wat is the main focus of an idiographic research

Answer 4

Understanding the individual

Question 5

If idiographic research is to Understand the individual, then why are other propel such as family and friends also involved

Answer 5

So that they can receive detailed about the individual from them about the individual

Question 6

What type of research does an idiographic research tend to be

Answer 6

Qualitative

Question 7

What types of qualitative research is used in idiographic research

Answer 7

Case studies, interviews, questionnaires

Question 8

What re qualitative idiographic researches good

Answer 8

Data is analysed and emergent themes are identifies which helps create conclusions which can help other people who are going through similar experiences and can help mental health professionals determine the best practice

Question 9

What is the idiographic approach associated with in other psychology topics

Answer 9

Humanistic and psychodynamic approach

Question 10

How does the idiographic approach associate with the humanistic approach

Answer 10

Rogers explained the process of self development with he role of unconditional positive regard and this was done by in depth convos with clients in therapy

Question 11

How does the idiographic approach associate with the psychodynamic approach

Answer 11

Freuds careful observations of individuals were the basis of his explanation of human nature, eg the Little Hans case explained how phobias may develop

Question 12

What is the main aim of the nomothetic approach in research

Answer 12

Is to generalise in order to create general laws which. Could then be applied to individual situations

Question 13

What type of research does nomothetic research typically use

Answer 13

Quantitative

Question 14

How does nomothetic research show to be more scientific

Answer 14

By using quantitative methods in psych as hypothesis formulation and samples for research

Question 15

What are the ways samples are assessed in nomothetic approach

Answer 15

Structured interviews and psychological testing

Question 16

Does nomothetic research use numerical data and if yes why

Answer 16

Yes and it is used to be analysed for its statistical significance

Question 17

What does the nomothetic approach aim for

Answer 17

Seeks to quantify human behaviour

Question 18

What theory can you apply to the idiographic approach and how

Answer 18

Humanistic approach as they took a phenomenological approach to studying humans & were interested only in documenting the conscious experience of the individual, humanistic psychologists were more concerned with investigating unique experience ‘on its own merits’ than producing general laws of behaviour

Question 19

What are 2 limitations of the idiographic approach

Answer 19

• Cannot generalise to wider population.
• Methods are subjective, flexible and unstandardised so replication, prediction and control of behaviour is difficult.

Question 20

What are 4 strengths of the idiographic approach

Answer 20

• Gain detailed and informative descriptions of behaviour.
• Can uncover causes for behaviour not identified using
nomothetic methods.
• Develop a holistic understanding of individual.
• Can provide hypotheses for future scientific study

Question 21

What theories can we apply to the nomothetic approach and how

Answer 21

.behaviourists- studied the responses of hundreds of rats, cats, pigeons etc, in order to develop the laws of learning
.cognitive- infer the structure and processes of human memory by measuring performance of large samples of people in laboratory tests
.biological- conducted brain scans on countless human brains in order to make generalisations about localisation of function.

Question 22

what are 3 kinds of general laws

Answer 22

Classification:
-DSM IV

Establishing principles:
-Conformity & obedience

Establishing dimensions:
-IQ

Question 23

what general laws in the nomothetic approach provide

Answer 23

a ‘benchmark’ against which people can be compared and measured, and the basis of their future
behaviour can be predicted and/or controlled.

Question 24

2 strengths of the nomothetic approach

Answer 24

.Can generalise to wider population.

.Methods are objective, measurable and can be verified so
replication, prediction and control of behaviour is easy.

Question 25

3 limitations of the nomothetic approach

Answer 25

.Generalised laws and principles may not apply to an
individual.

.Understanding is often superficial:
-Ppts can gain the same score on a personality test, but
have very different answers.