Idiographic vs Nomothetic Flashcards
What does ‘idio’ mean?
‘Own’ or ‘Private’
What does ‘Nomo’ mean?
‘Laws’
Define the Idiographic approach.
Focus on the individual and emphasize the unique personal experience of human nature.
What kind of research methods does the idiographic approach favour?
Qualitative research methods such as case studies because they allow a deeper insight into individual behaviour.
Give an example of a case study that gives an idiographic approach.
Patient KF- who experiences a motorcycle accident, as a result his short term forgetting of auditory was greater than his forgetting of visual info. Suggesting that STM consists of multiple components and this undermines the Multi-Store Model of memory.
Give a disadvantage of the idiographic approach about it not being scientific.
The idiographic approach is not scientific as it can’t be used to predict behaviour as it doesn’t produce general laws.
We can’t control extraneous variables, so therefore can’t establish cause and effect.
However, the idiographic approach has high validity because of the secure evidence base of their conclusions. It is more reliable that conclusions that rely entirely on statistical analysis.
Give an advantage of the idiographic approach in relation to existing theories.
A case study method is a powerful tool for evaluating/challenging already existing psychological theories.
For example, Patient KF challenged the Multi-Store Model of memory y providing evidence that out STM is made up of at least two components and not one, as previously suggested by Atkinson and Shiffrin.
Define the nomothetic approach.
Concerned with establishing general laws, based on the study of large groups of people.
What kind of research methods does the nomothetic approach favour?
The use of statistical (quantitative) techniques to analyse data, such as, experiments, correlations etc.
Give examples of psychologists that used a nomothetic approach.
-Biological psychologists to explain OCD and depression.
-Behaviorists such as Pavlov and Skinner to establish laws of learning (conditioning).
-Cognitive psychologists such as Atkinson and Shiffrin developed general laws such as Multi-Store Model of Memory.
-Social psychologists such as Milgram and Asch to create general conclusions about human behaviour.
Give an advantage about the nomothetic approach being scientific.
The nomothetic approach is considered generally scientific.
The use of quantitative methods, controlled measurement and the ability to predict behaviour are all seen as strengths. The controlled methods allow for replication to examine the reliability of findings.
Explain an advantage of the nomothetic approach of its practical uses in treatments.
The nomothetic approach is useful for predicting and controlling behaviour. This means it is useful for biological psychologists to explain and develop treatments for OCD.
However, drug treatments are not effective for all patients. CBT may be useful combined with drugs (idiographic).
Give a disadvantage of the nomothetic approach in relation to focusing on the collective and not the individual.
There is too much focus on the collective rather than the individual.
Milgram’s research found that 65% of pps obeyed an authority figure and inflicted a 450V shock because they were ordered to do so, but the results failed to explain why each person obeyed.
Idiographic researchers would argue that Milgram’s research only allows us to make predictions of groups and not on individuals.
