Nomothetic Vs Idiographic. Flashcards
What is the nomothetic vs idiographic debtae?
-Whether the idiographic or nomothetic approach should be used in psychology has implications for research methods.
What is the idiographic approach?
focuses more on the individual’s case. People are studied as unique entities, each with their own subjective experience and motivations. There is no attempt to compare to a generalised standard or norm, just an aim to describe the richness of human experience.
What is the nomothetic approach?
aims to study human behaviour through developing general principles and laws. People can be compared and classified according to these norms, so future behaviour can be controlled/predicted.
What typically is involved in idiographic research?
-The number of participants is small, often a case study.
-Most research is qualitative; based on first hand accounts, unstructured interviews and self report measures.
-Data is analysed and conclusions then emerge.
Examples of idiographic research?
humanistic and psychodynamic approaches. Carl Rogers’ investigation into unconditional positive regard using in depth conversation in therapy. Frued used case studies to ‘demonstrate’ his theories of human behaviour.
What does nomothetic research involve?
-Closely aligned with the traditional scientific method. Studying large numbers of people to see how they are similar or dissimilar.
-Formulate hypotheses, assess a sample of people/animals and numerical data is produced for statistical significance.
Examples of nomothetic research: behaviourist?
the behaviourist and biological approaches. Skinner studied the response of hundreds of rats to determine rules of learning.
Examples of nomothetic research: cognitive?
Cognitive psychologists have inferred the structure to memory by measuring performance of large samples in lab experiments. Brain scans in the biological approach have allowed generalisation of localisation of function.
Examples of nomothetic research: biological?
Brain scans in the biological approach have allowed generalisation of localisation of function.
Argument for IA?
Provides a complete and global account of an individual. This ends up complementing the nomothetic approach by shedding further light or challenging laws. Cases like HM have contributed to our overall understanding of normal functioning.
Argument against IA?
The narrow and restricted nature of the work should be acknowledged.
-Freud’s concept such as the Oedipus concept was developed from case studies, and without further examples, meaningful generalisations cannot be made.
-Conclusions are often up for subjective interpretation from the researcher. In absence of the nomothetic approach, it is hard to build bias free and effective theories.
Argument for NA?
Research processes are scientific, mirroring those in the natural sciences, through objective statistical standardisation. Gives the psychology discipline greater scientific credibility.
Argument against NA?
Criticism of losing the understanding of the individual. Preoccupied with general laws and prediction, can lose the person in psychology. Knowing there is a 1% chance of developing schizophrenia tells us little about what life is actually like. This may be helpful in coming up with treatments. Sometimes overlooks the richness of human experience.
Can IA and NA exist together?
In attachment research, the nomothetic Schaffer’s stages and case studies of maternal deprivation are both considered.
Millon 1995 said when diagnosing personality disorders; clinicians begin with general nomothetic criteria, then use this to focus on experience.
