Idiographic and Nomothetic

• Idiographic


  Detailed study of ONE individual / group to provide IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING
• Nomothetic


  Study of LARGER groups with aim of discovering NORMS, PRINCIPLES or LAWS of behaviour
• Idiographic research is RESTRICTED, unscientific and subjective. Suggests it is difficult to build effective theories of behaviour without nomothetic
• Nomothetic loses experience with individual. Focusing on general laws of behaviour means the 'whole person' is lost
• + APPROACHES WORK TOGETHER

  Idiographic’s qualitative methods compliments nomothetic approach with providing detail.
• + BOTH AGREE WITH AIMS OF SCIENCE.


  Nomothetic seeks objectivity through standardisation, whereas idiographic seeks objectivity through comparison of studies.