Issues And Debates: Idiographic And Nomothetic Flashcards
What is the nomothetic approach?
It comes from the Greek word “nomos” meaning “law”, attempts to establish general laws of human behavior. It looks at how our behaviors are similar to each other as human beings. Tends to use quantitative data / methods and scientific research in large groups of participants.
What is the idiographic approach?
It comes from the Greek word “idiots” meaning “own / private”, looks at how our behaviours are different to each other. Tends to use qualitative data / methods, such as case studies, open ended interviews
What is the nomothetic approach to personality tests?
The basic premise of a personality test is that behaviour should be predictable and consistent
What is the idiographic approach to personality tests?
Gordon Allport found over 18,000 separate terms describing personal characteristics. Whilst some of these are common traits (that could be investigated nomothetically) the majority, in Allport’s view, referred to more or less unique dispositions based on life experiences peculiar to ourselves. He argues that they cannot be effectively studied using standardised tests. What is needed is a way of investigating them idiographically
Advantages and problems with personality tests
Advantages: personality tests enable us to predict behavior such as mental agility. Some tests also enable us to show personality - job compatibility such as being in the police force
Problems: Personality is difficult to operationalise, we cannot be sure any measurement is valid. Fundamental attribution errors (where we attribute more situational factor significance to ourselves than others). Tests are all different as they are based on different theories. Tests are often not generalisable to all people in all situations. Individual differences with people showing more consistency with their personality traits being more influential. Environment effect rather than personality.
Examples of nomothetic approaches in psychology
Approaches: Psychodynamic (both Idiographic and nomothetic), Biological approach, Cognitive approach
Studies: Milgram, Zimbardo, Asch, Moscovici, Ainsworth, (lab studies which generalise findings as general laws). Bottom up approach (universal technique of geographical profiling). Kohlberg’s level of moral reasoning (universal understandings of moral reasoning)
Examples of idiographic approaches in psychology
Humanism, Freud (Little Hans), Case of HM (LTM), Phineas Gage (Frontal lobe, localisation of brain function), Genie (theory of maternal deprivation)
Evaluations for the nomothetic approach
Support: Scientific, testing under standardised conditions, using data sets to provide group averages, statistical analysis, predictions and control, gives psychology greater credibility e.g. Asch’s line study
Against: ‘Losing the whole person’, in lab studies involving tests of memory for example (e.g. Milgram), participants are tested as scores rather than people, subjectivity experience is ignored, overlooks the richness of human experiences.
Evaluations for the idiographic approach
Support: In-depth methods of investigation, provides a complete and global account of individual, case studies such as HM, Phineas Gage
Against: Narrow, restrictive, meaningful generalizations cannot be made, no comparison of behavior, for example, little Hans and the Oedipus complex, less scientific due to subjectivity
Support for complementary rather than contradictory approach
Consider approaches side by side. Bem’s (1974) Androgyny scale, modern psychology should provide rich, detailed descriptions of human behavior within the general framework of general laws. For example, in gender development, general patterns of behaviour are attempted.
What is the gender schema theory (1981) (interactionist approach to gender)
A cognitive theory to explain how individuals become gendered in society, and how sex-linked characteristics are maintained and transmitted to other members of a culture. While primarily nomothetic, focusing on general processes, it also has elements that can be viewed through an idiographic lens due to the role of individual cognitive schemas and unique experiences shaping gender development.
