Idiographic and nomothetic approaches to psychology

Question 1

Define idiographic

Answer 1

Focuses on individual to understand behvaiour than formulating general laws of behaviour.

Question 2

Define nomothetic

Answer 2

Study behaviour through development of principles/ laws.

Question 3

Describe the idiographic approach to psychological investigation

Answer 3

Small sample- can't generalise
Qualitative
Humanistic/ psychodynamic approaches.
Individual understanding 
E.g., Freud's observations of individuals basis of explanations.

Question 4

Describe nomothetic approach to psychological investigation

Answer 4

Generalised
Quantitative
Behaviourist/ bio approaches
E.g., Skinner studied animals to develop laws of learning

Question 5

Are nomothetic approaches objective or subjective and why?

Answer 5

Objective.

Laws behvaiour possible if assessed objectively (replication).

Question 6

Are idiographic approaches subjective or objective and why?

Answer 6

Subjective

Individual detailed accounts more important

Question 7

Strength of idiographic, in terms of contributing to nomothetic approaches.

Answer 7

Qualitative- highlights general laws.

Helps form scientific laws of behaviour

Question 8

Counterpoint of a strength of the idiographic approach, in terms of contributing to nomothetic approaches.

Answer 8

Can’t generalise.
not scientific- subjective.
Difficult to build effective general theories of behvaiour in absence of nomothetic.

Question 9

Strength of nomothetic and idiographic approaches, in terms of fitting with the aims of science.

Answer 9

Nomothetic- science processes (objective).
Idiographic- Get findings from studies using qualitative, increase validity.

Both scientific credibility

Question 10

Limitation of nomothetic, in terms of losing understanding of the individual.

Answer 10

Too focused on general laws than life experiences- failing to relate