issues and debates - idiographic and nomothetic

Question 1

what is the idiographic approach?

Answer 1

this focuses on the individual case as a means of understanding behaviour and describes the nature of the individual.

Question 2

what research methods is used?

Answer 2

qualitative research methods, it focuses on the quality of the information rather than quantity.

Question 3

what methods are used?

Answer 3

1) case studies
2) unstructured interviews
3) thematic analysis

Question 4

what psychologist is linked with the idiographic approach?

Answer 4

shallice and warrington (1970) - patient KF.

Question 5

what is the nomothetic approach?

Answer 5

involves the study of many people and then seeks to make generalisation or develop laws/ theories about their behaviours

Question 6

what research method is used?

Answer 6

quantitative research methods

Question 7

examples for idiographic

Answer 7

psychodynamic approach = little hans case study
humanistic approach = rogers and maslow

Question 8

examples for nomothetic

Answer 8

biological approach = explaining psychological disorders
behaviourist approach = pavlov and skinner
cognitive approach = atkinson and shiffrin