issues and debates: idiographic and nomothetic

Question 1

what is idiographic

Answer 1

psychologists who take on this approach

focus on the individual
emphasise the unique personal experiences of human nature

Question 2

how do we remember what idiogrpahic is

Answer 2

i for individual

Question 3

idios means

Answer 3

own/private

Question 4

what is nomothetic

Answer 4

psychs who take on this approach are concerned with establishing general laws they can apply based on teh study of large groups of people

Question 5

what does nomo mena

Answer 5

law

Question 6

what type of research/methods of investigation does idiogrpahic approach use

Answer 6

qualitative :

case studies
thematic analysis
unstructured interview

Question 7

what is a strenght of idiographic methods of investigation

Answer 7

provide in depth insigth into the indiviudas behaviour

Question 8

unlike the nomothetic approach the idiogrpahic approach doesnt

Answer 8

seek to formulate laws

generalise results to others

Question 9

why are case studies a pwerufl rresearch methods

Answer 9

single case study can highlight a flaw within a theory and significantly undermine other research

Question 10

give an example of case study undermingin research

Answer 10

kf - motorbike accident -

ST forgetting auditory info greater than forgetting of visual info suggesting

ST memory must consist of multiple componets

this undermined MSM as suggest there are seperate STM stores - so said you is a lie

Question 11

nomothetic research is more centred around

Answer 11

quantitative methods of research such as

experiments

correlaional research

psychometric testing

Question 12

what are the main aims of nomo approach

Answer 12

be scientific

apply genral finidngs to tother people

Question 13

give exampes of nomo appraoch

Answer 13

biological approach - explainig psycholgical disroders such as ocd/depression

they typially pinpoint bio factors for example a nt being repsosible for disorder such as serotinin

and use biologicla therapies such as drug to treat all patients

behaviourak appriach skinner conducted experiemtn with aniams in order to establish laws of learning cc/oc that could be generalied to humns and non human animals
so theyve applied laws we find in animals to humans

Question 13

whihc approaches use both

Answer 13

cog and psychodyanmic

Question 14

what are our eal points for nomo

Answer 14

scientific nature- use of quantitative methods, controlled replication

application treatments - biological psycholgoists w ocd , drug treatments

Question 15

what are our eval points for idio

Answer 15

unscientific natue - use of qualitative methods, uncontrolled , unable to replicate

power of case studies - kf , generate further research

Question 16

explain eval nomo - scientific nature

approach is considered x

the use of experimetnal x methods, x x and the ability ot x behaviour are all x of this x

this matter cause x methods allow psychologists to x research to exmaine x of findings whihc has x psychology x itself as a x x

Answer 16

approach is considered scientici

the use of experimetnal quantitative methods, contorlled measurement and the ability ot rpedict behaviour are all stregths of this approach

this matter cause contorlled methods allow psychologists to replicate research to exmaine reliablity of findings whihc has helped psychology establish itself as a scientific discipline

Question 17

explain eval - application to tratments

as nomothetic approahc is viewed as x its useful for x nad x behaviour

e.g x psyhcologists take a x approach when examining and claim its caused by higher lvls of x and lwoer levels of x

so x therapies are x on the basis of x research and work by x a x imbalance

this matter becuase xxxs are used to treat OCD and increase a x and uptake of x

this reduces x assocaited with OCD helping it to x hte x of pepoele x from this x

which has come about as a result of xresearch

Answer 17

as nomothetic approahc is viewed as scentific its useful for contorllig nad predicitng behaviour

e.g bio psychs take a nomothetic approach when examining OCD and claim its caused by higher lvls of dopamine and lwoer levels of serotonin

so drug therapies are devloped on the basis of nomo research and work by readressing a biologicla imbalance

this matter becuase SSRIs are used to treat OCD and increase a ailaibitly and uptake of serotnin

this reduces anxiety assocaited with OCD helping it to imporve hte lives of pepoele suffering from this condition

which has come about as a result of nomothetic research

Question 18

eval idio - power of case studies

strenght of idio grpahic approach and the x x method of research is that it is a x x for x psychological x

case of xx exposed limitatino of xxx by provdiign x our xxx comprised of at least x components ( visual and auditory) not c as stated by x and x

x as sngle case study can generate further x into a particular x
e.g mem

which contirbutes to x of x x

higlighting a x of odio approaches to psychologial investigation

Answer 18

strenght of idio grpahic approach and the case stuyd method of research is that it is a powerful tool for evaluating psychological theoruies

case of KF exposed limitatino of mmm by provdiign evidence our STM comties of at least 2 components ( visual and auditory) not one as stated by atkinson and shiffrin

consequently as sngle case study can generate further research into a particular phenomenon
e.g mem

which contirbutes to development of new thoeries

higlighting a strnegh t of odio approaches to psychologial investigation

Question 19

a03 - unscientiifif canture

been criticised for its x nature
the emphasis of x x data collection and the x of arriving at a x generalisations x the x x of any x science : to explain tthe most x in the x possible x so phenomenon can be x and ultimatley x. Research x that dont x these x can seem scientifically x

Answer 19

been criticised for its unscientific nature
the emphasis of in depth data collection and difficulties of arriving at a justifiable generalisations contradicts the central purpose of any mature science : o explain tthe most variatin in the fewest possible terms so phenomenon can be predicted and ultimatley controlled. Research practices that dont address these goals can seem scientifically pointless