idiographic and nomothetic approaches

• the idiographic approach is often a small sample (single individual/ group). Research may include others such as family and friends. The initial focus is about understanding the individual but generalisation may be bases on findings. It also tend not to believe that objectivity is possible in psychological research. It is people's individual experience of their unique context that is important
• example of idiographic approach is Rogers' concept of counselling was based on his work as a therapist. His 'theory' on the role of unconditional positive regard in self-development was based on his in-depth study of his clients. Freud's explanation of phobia was based on the detailed case study of Little Hans over many years
• nomothetic research focuses on large samples, usually representative of population. It aims to identify laws that apply across all individuals. It also seeks standardised methods of assessing people. This ensures true replication occurs across samples of behaviour and removes the contaminating influxes of bias
• example of nomothetic approach is Skinner who studies animals to develop the general law of learning. Also, Sperry's split brain research involved repeated testing and was, in part, the basis for understanding hemispheric lateralisation
• One strength of the idiographic and nomothetic approaches is that they work together. The idiographic approach uses ib depth qualitative methods which complements the nomothetic approach by providing detail. In depth case studies such as HM (damaged memory) may reveal insights about normal functioning which contribute to our overall understanding. This suggests that even though the focus is on fewer individuals, the idiographic approach may help form 'scientific' laws of behaviour
• A weakness of the idiographic approach is that it does not allow us to make predictions or draw conclusions about other cases. For example, if we only know how one person behaves under certain conditions, we cannot say whether this will happen with another person. Therefore, the results from these types of studies do not have much practical application.
• One limitation of the nomothetic approach is that individual experience is lost. Nomothetic approach focuses on general laws and may 'lose the whole person' within psychology. For example, knowing about 1% lifetime risk of schizophrenia says little about having the disorder which might bt useful for therapeutic ideas. This means, in its search for generalities, the nomothetic approach may sometimes fail to relate to experience