Idiographic- nomothetic debate

• What is the idiographic approach?

  Psychology should be the study of individuals because we can understand human behaviour better
• What is the nomothetic approach?

  Psychology should be the study of large and varied groups to make generalisations about what is the norm
• Idiographic approach to investigations

  - small participants, sile case.

  - focus on detail.

  - what can be learnt about the INDIVIDUAL

  
  
• What is the research mostly in idiographic approach?

  Qualitative
• What is the idiographic approach mostly associated with?

  Humanistic and psychodynamic approach
• What is the aim of nomothetic approach?

  Generalisation, to create laws
• What kind of research is used in nomothetic approach?

  Quantitiative
• What approaches are mostly associated with the nomothetic approach?

  Behaviourist and biological
• Which approach is objective?

  Nomothetic

  Laws of behaviour only possible if methods are delivered in a standardised and objective way (replication)

  
  
• Which approach is subjective ?

  Idiographic

  Don’t believe that objectivity is possible.

  It’s peoples experience of their context that is important.