Nomothetic and idiographic approaches

• Define the idiographic and nomothetic debate.

  The idiographic and nomothetic debate argues whether we should study human behaviour by focusing on individuals as unique beings (idiographic) or whether we should study large groups to establish general laws (nomothetic).
• Outline the idiographic approach to psychological investigation.

  An idiographic approach to investigation involves studying individuals without intending to establish general laws/principles of behaviour.

  This involves the researcher gathering a small sample of participants, or might even focus on one individual.
• Outline the idiographic approach to psychological investigation.

  The researcher would then gather a large amount of qualitative data e.g. by conducting an interview.

  The researcher would analyse this data e.g. using qualitative analysis methods such as a thematic analysis.
• Outline the idiographic approach to psychological investigation.

  The researcher would then draw conclusions about the sample/individual without generalising it to the wider population.

  Examples of idiographic investigative methods therefore include case studies and interviews as both typically involve small samples and gathering in-depth qualitative data.
• Outline an example of the idiographic approach.

  CBT is an idiographic treatment as it is tailored to the patient’s irrational beliefs. This is because CBT involves identifying the clients’ unique patterns of irrational thinking and challenging these through customised disputing.
• Outline an example of the idiographic approach.

  Humanistic psychology takes an idiographic approach to investigation. This is because they are concerned with studying the whole person as a unique individual. This means that humanistic psychologists have relied upon idiographic methods such as interviews and case studies to collect their data.
• Outline the nomothetic approach to psychological investigation.

  A nomothetic approach to investigation involves studying a large sample of participants in order to establish general laws of behaviour that can be applied to mass groups of people.

  This involves the researcher gathering a large sample of participants.
• Outline the nomothetic approach to psychological investigation.

  As they intend to generalise their results, the researcher would use a representative, non-biased sampling technique such as random, systematic or, most favourably, stratified sampling.

  The researcher would produce a testable hypothesis before gathering a large amount of quantitative data.
• Outline the nomothetic approach to psychological investigation.

  The researcher would analyse this data using descriptive and inferential statistics before drawing conclusions in relation to the wider population.

  Examples of nomothetic investigative methods include experiments, observations and questionnaires. This is because they typically involve large numbers of participants, testable hypotheses and the gathering of quantitative data that is statistically analysed and generalised to the wider population.
• Outline an example of the nomothetic approach.

  Social psychologists have used a nomothetic approach to investigation. For example, conformity and obedience studies have utilised large samples in experimental research to gather quantitative data about conformity and obedience rates. Such conformity research has generated nomothetic conclusions that people conform due to normative and/or informational social influence. Meanwhile, obedience research has generated nomothetic conclusions that people obey due to entering the agentic state or recognizing an individual’s legitimate authority.
• Outline an example of the nomothetic approach.

  Cognitive psychologists have used nomothetic approaches to investigation. E.g. researchers studying memory have used large samples in experimental research to gather quantitative data about the capacity and duration of memories. Such research also led to nomothetic conclusions being drawn e.g. the multi-store model of memory which proposes that everyone’s

  STM is limited to a capacity of 7+/-2 while the duration lasts between 18-30 seconds.
• Explain a strength of idiographic investigations over nomothetic investigations: more detailed data.

  This is because idiographic studies gather qualitative data (non-numerical, descriptive data) whereas nomothetic studies gather quantitative (numerical) data. This is a strength of idiographic approaches over nomothetic approaches because more detailed data means that any conclusions drawn are more likely to be valid.
• Explain a strength of idiographic investigations over nomothetic investigations: effective treatments.

  Idiographic studies focus on individuals whereas nomothetic studies focus on mass groups and establishing general theories. This is a strength of idiographic over nomothetic approaches because it means that treatments developed out of idiographic research are more likely to be tailored to individual cases and therefore more effective. In contrast, treatments developed out of nomothetic research will be general that are not tailored/effective for every individual’s unique case.
• Explain a strength of nomothetic investigations over idiographic investigations: more scientific.

  This is because nomothetic research analyses quantitative data whereas idiographic research analyses qualitative data. This is a strength of nomothetic over idiographic approaches because quantitative/numerical data does not require subjective interpretation whereas qualitative/descriptive data does. This makes nomothetic research more objective.
• Explain a strength of nomothetic investigations over idiographic investigations: positive applications.

  Nomothetic research intends to develop universal laws such as how behaviourist research led to the universal laws of learning known as classical and operant conditioning. Idiographic research does not intend to develop universal laws as it is more focused on individuals and their unique cases. This is a strength of nomothetic over idiographic approaches because it means that nomothetic research is better able to predict and modify human behaviour.