Nomothetic approach

• The main aim of the nomothetic approach is to produce general laws of behaviour. These provide a benchmark against which people can be compared, classified and measured. Future behaviour can then be predicted and controlled
• The nomothetic approach is most closely associated with methods defined as reliable and scientific within psychology (e.g. questionnaires and psychological tests) (quantitative data). These involve the study of larger numbers of people to establish how people are similar (which also tells us how people differ from one another)
• The nomothetic approach looks at findings from large numbers of people which are analysed for statistical significance
• Behaviourist, cognitive and biological research would meet the criteria of the nomothetic approach
• Questionnaires that test characteristics such as personality or IQ are used to diagnose abnormality and predict behaviours