Nomothetic and Idiographic

Question 1

What does the idiographic approach suggest?

Answer 1

We should study individuals in order to understand behaviour

Question 2

What does the nomothetic approach suggest?

Answer 2

We should study large groups of individuals in order to make generalisations about behaviour

Question 3

What is the idiographic approach to psychological investigation?

Answer 3

-often on a single person,group or organisation
-May get research info from family,friends etc.
-Qualitative research methods e.g case studys, unstructured interviews
-Research is analysed and conclusions are used to help others of similar situations

Question 4

Give an example of an idiographic approach in psychology

Answer 4

-Humanistic(client centered therapy)
-Psychodynamic approach (Case study of little hans used to explain how phobias develop)

Question 5

What is the nomothetic apporach to psychological investigation?

Answer 5

-aims to make general laws that can then be applied to individual situations
-quantitative research (formulating hypothesis, gathering individuals, assessing them e.g structured interview, then producing numerical data)
numerical data is used to see significance

Question 6

Give 2 examples of the nomothetic approach in Psychology?

Answer 6

Behaviourist approach- Skinners research on animals generalised to human learning
Biological approach- Sperrys split brain research used a small sample and provide basis understanding of hemispheric lateralisation

Question 7

How are idiographic and nomothetic approaches different in terms of objectivity and subjectivity?

Answer 7

Nomothetic- believes in objective methods, laws of behaviour can only be made using standardised methods so replication can occur without bias
Idiographic- Objective mthods in research are not possible. Individual experience is more important

Question 8

Provide a strength and counter for the idiographic approach

Answer 8

The use of in depth qualitative methods can contribute to nomothetic approaches by shedding further light on general laws. e.g case study of HM and Phineas Gage contribute to our understanding of memory and localisation of function.

counter: idiographic approach is still narrow.
-meaningful generalisations cannot be made without other examples.
Case studies are also unscientific and often open to bias

Question 9

Give a limitation of the nomothetic approach

Answer 9

By being so preoccupied with general laws, you may lose the person. e.g knowing there is a 1% risk of developing sz doesnt tell you what it is like to live with sz, which would be useful when finding treatment options