Issues & Debates - Nomothetic/Idiographic

Question 1

Idiographic

Answer 1

Studying individuals without generalisation & focusing on individuality/unique experiences (qualitative)

Question 2

Nomothetic

Answer 2

Studying (large sample) groups to form generalised laws for everyone (quantitative data)

Question 3

Idiographic approaches

Answer 3

• Humanism (person-centred therapy)
• Psychodynamic (case studies, generalised key themes but not specifics of case study to others)

Question 4

Nomothetic approaches

Answer 4

• Biological (twin studies)
• Behaviourism (tabula rasa)
• Cognitive

Question 5

Examples - idiographic

Answer 5

• Little Hans [psychodynamic approach] (Letters & interviews, case study)
• HM/KF & Clive Wearing [memory] (case studies HOWEVER WERE GENERALISED)

Question 6

Examples - nomothetic

Answer 6

• Biological explanation
  -> Schz (genetic chances/risk)
  -> Forensics
• Attachment (Ainsworth’s Strange Situation & attachment types)
• Definitions of abnormality

Question 7

Implications of an idiographic approach (+)

Answer 7

+ Predict behaviour (in-depth analyses - increases predictive validity)
+ Able to generate new ideas & hypotheses

Question 8

Consequences of an idiographic approach (-)

Answer 8

• Unscientific nature (qualitative data - limit on usefulness for practical applications/treatments for disorders)
• Time consuming & subjective (issues with practicality & weakens both reliability & validity)

Question 9

Implications of a nomothetic approach (+)

Answer 9

+ Scientific (quantitative data is able to predict behaviour objectively)
+ Useful application (able to apply trends to predict behaviours so can generalise, replicate and trust statistics)

Question 10

Consequences of a nomothetic approach (-)

Answer 10

• Don’t work for everyone (generalised treatments -> alternatives are better i.e. person-centric)
• Misinterpretation & unrepresentative (superficial understanding of behaviour & does not account for individual experiences - weakens validity)