✓Idiographic and Nomothetic approaches

• What is the idiographic approach?

  An approach to research that focuses more on the individual case as a means of understanding behaviour, rather than formulating general laws of behaviour.

  (detailed info about individuals) 
• What is the nomothetic approach?

  Aims to study human behaviour through the development of general principles and universal laws.

  (Studies should be on larger groups with averages – general conclusions.) 
• What are the key features of an idiographic study? (5)

  • Small number of participants
  • Detailed focus on the individual
  • What makes each person, avoiding general laws
  • Qualitative
  • Uses studies, interviews, observations
• What are the key features of a nomothetic study? (4)

  • Qualitative
  • Large sample size
  • Uses lab experiments and structured questionnaires
  • Applies general laws and theories to explain behaviour across the whole population
• What are the approaches that are considered idiographic?

  Humanistic

  Psychodynamic
• Give 2 examples of idiographic studies

  • Little Hans used by Freud to show how a phobia may develop
  • Depression studies would be based on first-hand accounts from a small number of people
  • HM - localisation in memory studies
• What 2 approaches to psychology are nomothetic?

  • behaviourist
  • biological
• Give 2 examples of nomothetic studies in psychology

  • BF Skinner
  • Sperry's split-brain research and hemispheric lateralisation
• What is a limitation of the idiographic approach

  Restricted and Narrow

  Meaningful generalisations cannot be made without further examples.  

  Case studies tend to be less scientific. 
• What is a strength of the idiographic approach

  Complete account

  • Uses in depth qualitative methods of investigation providing global description of one individual. 
  • A single case may generate a hypothesis for further study
• What is a benefit of nomothetic style research

   + Scientific credibility 

  • Establishing objectivity through standardisation, control and statistical testing.  
  • Triangulation = findings from a range of studies are compared
• What is triangulation?

  findings from a range of studies are compared to increase validity
• What is the downside of the nomothetic approach

  Losing the personal / not holistic
• Which is more subjective / objective, idiographic or nomothetic

  idiographic = subjective

  objective = nomothetic