Nomothetic vs Idiographic

• Nomothetic approach


  Psychologists concerned with establishing general laws [rules] about human behaviour, based on the study of large groups of people, using scientific methods such as lab experiments or structured observations. The data collected using this methodology is then analysed via statistical (quantitative) analysis.
• Nomothetic approach


  • Behaviourists, such as Pavlov and Skinner, conducted experiments with animals in order to establish laws of learning (classical and operant conditioning) that could be generalised to humans and non-human animals
  • Cognitive Psychologists develop general laws about memory e.g. the Multi-Store Model of Memory
  • Social Psychologists, such as Milgram and Asch, used a nomothetic approach to create general laws about human behaviour e.g. that situational factors are responsible for both obedience and conformity
• Nomothetic approach


  • It is scientific as it uses experimental methods to make predictions about behaviour
  • It is useful in developing biological treatments (and improving the lives of patients) for psychological disorders
  • Experiments can be replicated to test for reliability and validity
• The nomothetic approach only provides a superficial understanding of human behaviour. You cannot apply 'rules' to humans who are fundamentally unique beings.
• Idiographic approach


  Assumes that humans are unique and should be studied in an individual way. It is concerned with qualitative data and only makes use of non-experimental methods such as case studies and unstructured interviews.
• Idiographic approach


  • Freud's case study of Little Hans
• Idiographic approach


  • Unable to make generalisations to the wider population and to make predictions about human behaviour
  • Can provide psychologists with a more thorough understanding of human behaviour by highlighting flaws within a theory
• The idiographic vs. nomothetic distinction is false because many psychological approaches make use of both. The two approaches should not be treated as mutually exclusive but as being complimentary to one another.
• What type of psychologists use this approach (nomothetic)?

  Behaviourists, Cognitive & Social
• What type of Psychologists use the nomothetic approach?

  Behaviourists, Cognitive & Social