Idiographic And Nomothetic Approaches

Question 1

Explain the idiographic approach.

Answer 1

Focussed on the individual and emphasises the unique personal experience of human nature. They favour qualitative research methods.

Question 2

What are 3 research methods that use an idiographic approach?

Answer 2

Case studies
Particular observations
Unstructured interviews

Question 3

What are 2 theories based on the idiographic approach?

Answer 3

Humanistic

Case studies like tan, Little Hans

Question 4

Give strengths of the idiographic approach.

Answer 4

• detailed insight into behaviour which nomothetic can’t offer
• useful in discoveries eg HM, KF challenged MSMs assumptions that STM is unitary
• important in showing benefits of qualitative research
• higher in validity and acknowledge the interaction between researcher and participant (reflexivity)

Question 5

Give weaknesses of the idiographic approach.

Answer 5

• no practical applications therefore limiting usefulness eg no therapies, so unhelpful in real world
• not scientific - doesn’t meet criteria for science eg can’t predict and control behaviour, can’t repeat case studies
• lacking in controlled variables, poor population validity

Question 6

Explain the nomothetic approach.

Answer 6

Concerned with establishing general laws based on the study or large groups of people. They favour quantitative research methods.

Question 7

Give 3 research methods used by the idiographic approach

Answer 7

Meta- analysis
Questionnaires
Experiments

Question 8

Give 2 examples of theories based on the nomothetic approach.

Answer 8

Bem

Learning theory

Question 9

Give strengths of the nomothetic approach.

Answer 9

• highly scientific: replicable, high levels of control, quantitative data allows analysis of patterns and trends
• increased status of psychology as a science
• useful practical applications - therapies like SSRIs (however never 100% success rate suggesting individual differences)

Question 10

Give weaknesses of the nomothetic approach.

Answer 10

• overlooks interesting individual reasons for behaviour to there may be difference circumstances for why people behave in the same way.
• over simplifies humans
• can’t explain cultural differences. Assumes humans are driven by the same motivations do important cultural differences are overlooked. Eg attachments.
• treats groups as homogenous eg all men and women

Question 11

Why would an interactionist approach towards being nomothetic/idiographic be better?

Answer 11

In realty many approaches draw upon both methods. For example cognitive psychology - case studies draw conclusions about people. Good to understand human behaviour.