Idiographic and Nomothetic approaches : Debates

Question 1

What is the idiographic approach ?

Answer 1

-ATTEMPTS TO DESCRIBE THE NATURE OF THE INDIVIDUAL
-people studied as unique entities with subjective experiences and motives
-METHODS WHICH PRODUCE QUALITATIVE DATA)

Question 2

list three methods which produces qualitative data

Answer 2

1. case studies
   2.unstructured interviews
2. self report measures

Question 3

Examples of idiographic approach to studying behaviour.

Answer 3

1. HUMANISTIC APPROACH
   documents the conscious experience of the individual and its subjective experience (refers to self)
   investigates unique experience instead of general laws

2.PSYCHODYNAMIC APPROACH
use of case study methods (Little Hans)

Question 4

What is the nomothetic approach ?

Answer 4

PRODUCE GENERAL LAWS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
(people can be compared classified and measured)
BEHAVIOURS CAN BE PREDICTED, associated with scientific experiments

Question 5

Nomothetic approach pt.2

Answer 5

-feature of approaches that are REDUCTIONIST DETERMINIST and employ SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS
-hypotheses are formulated tested until controlled conditions and findings are generated from large numbers

-KEY FEATURES
hypotheses are rigorously tested
statistically analysed
general laws and principles are proposed

Question 6

Examples of nomothetic approach to studying behaviors.

Answer 6

BEHAVIORIST
studies responses from large samples of rats pigeons to develop laws of learning (operant conditioning)

COGNITIVE
infer the structure and process of human memory by measuring performance of large samples in lab

BIOLOGICAL
conducted brain scans on human brains to make generalisations about localisation of functions

Question 7

EVALUATION OF NOMOTHETIC APPROACH +ve

Answer 7

tend to be more scientific, tested under standardised conditions (data sets able to provide statistical analysis)
valued -> establish norms of “typical behaviours” (averageIQ) giving discipline of psychology greater SCIENTIFIC CREDIBILITY

Question 8

EVALUATION OF NOMOTHETIC APPROACH -ve

Answer 8

preoccupation on general laws, prediction accused of “losing the person and individual values”
examples - “knowing that there is a 1% lifetime risk of developing schizophrenia” does not offer a complete explanation
-lab studies involve test of memory does not show subjective experience ( treated as series of scores instead)
THE RICHNESS OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE IS OVERLOOKED

Question 9

EVALUATION OF THE IDIOGRAPHIC APPROACH +ve

Answer 9

-valued as this approach is needed to know the person as an individual so that we can predict what they will do
-too much emphasis on measurement lost sight of individuality

Question 10

EVALUATION OF THE IDIOGRAPHIC APPROACH -ve

Answer 10

-not scientific
case studies for example rely on subjective interpretation of research of data by researcher (likely to suffer from bias)
-lack of opportunity to replicate case studies reliability can not be tested (inappropriate to make generalisations)

-also time-consuming (less efficient when it comes to data collection)

Question 11

counter argument ( IT DOES EMBRACE AIMS OF SCIENTIFIC APPROACH)

Answer 11

researchers have made effort to reduce bias in case studies (use of different researchers to interpret data to reduce researcher bias)
-Rogers recorded his sessions of client centred therapy to check for his reliability
systematic method is used to analyse his concept of “sense of self” and “ideal sense of self” by using Q sorts (turning qualitative into quantitative)

REFLEXIVITY to reflect on any bias that existed (thinks critically during research process about factors that affect researchers and participants)

Question 12

A combined approach

Answer 12

Holt argued that they should not be separated

-Idiographic approach provides complete account of individual, should be in complementary to nomothetic approach

-patient HM (case study) provides rich data about memory. Approach was idiographic but evidence revealed important insights into functioning of normal brain

-Bem’s androgyny scale (nomothetic in approach) aimed to demondtrate general patterns of gender behaviour along with individual case studies (Reimer twins) idiographic which demonstrates gender is biologically determined

Question 13

A combined approach pt.2

Answer 13

goal of modern psychology provide rich detailed descriptions of human behaviour as well as explanation of behaviour within a framework of general laws.

Millon and Davis -research should start with nomothetic approach, once “laws” are produced, focus on idiographic understanding.