idiographic vs nomothetic approach

Question 1

idiographic approach

Answer 1

idio = personal/private

attempts to describe nature of individual, people studied as unique entities, each with own SUBJECTIVE experiences/motivations/values

= generally associated with qualitative data, e.g., case studies, unstructured interviews, self-report measures

Question 2

nomothetic approach

Answer 2

nomos = law

attempts to produce general laws of behaviour, provide ‘benchmark’ for comparison, study of larger no. of people, OBJECTIVE focus

= generally associated with quantitative data, e.g., scientific methods, like experiments

Question 3

examples of idiographic approach

Answer 3

most associated with humanistic/psychodynamic approach

• rogers sought to explain process of self-development through in-depth convos with clients in therapy
• freud observed individuals, e.g., little hans

Question 4

examples of nomothetic approach

Answer 4

behavioural/biological, despite sometimes using small sample sizes

• skinner studied animals to develop general laws of learning
• sperry split brain research invlolved repeated testing, part of basis of understanding hemispheric lateralisation

Question 5

strength of idiographic approach

Answer 5

contribute to nomothetic approach, provide complete account

= uses in-depth qualitative methods of investigation, providing global description of one individual
- can complement nomothetic approach by shedding further info on general laws/by challenging laws

E.g. case study of HM
- reveal important insights about normal functioning = contribute to overall understanding

• suggests despite focused on fewer individuals = can still be helpful to form ‘scientific’ laws of behaviour

Question 6

strength of both approaches

Answer 6

scientific credibility
= both approaches fit with aims of science
- nomothetic approach processes similar to those in natural sciences
E.g., standardisation, control, statistical testing

• idiographic approach objectifies methods also
  E.g., triangulation to increase validity, reflection on biases/preconceptions by modern qualitative researchers

= both raise psych’s status as a science

Question 7

limitation of nomothetic approach

Answer 7

loss of understanding of individual
- nomothetic approach preoccupied with general laws, prediction & control = accusations of ‘losing whole person’ within psych

• understanding subjective experience can prove useful when devising appropriate treatment options (for example)

= fail to relate experience