Idiographic and Nomothetic

Question 1

Idiographic Approach

Answer 1

Focuses on individuals and emphasises unique personal experience of human nature

Question 2

What does Idiographic focus on

Answer 2

Focuses on qualitative research methods such as case studies that only focus on 1 individual

Question 3

Example of Idiographic

Answer 3

The case study of KF where he was in an accident and his ST forgetting of auditory info was greater than forgetting of visual info
^ Although specific findings cannot be generalised it helped psychologists to discover there was a more complex model than the MSM

Question 4

Nomothetic Approach

Answer 4

Only concerned with discoveries that can be generalised

Question 5

Example of Nomothetic

Answer 5

Bio psychologists pinpoint bio factors such as neurotransmitters, that are responsible for disorders and use these findings to create bio therapies such as drug therapies - treat all patients

Question 6

Approaches

Answer 6

Most use the nomothetic approach to conduct research, apart from humanism which only focuses on the individuals needs

Question 7

Eval - Nomothetic Approach is Scientific (S)

Answer 7

. Use of its quantitative methods such as controlling measurements which gives psychologists ability to predict behaviour
. These findings can also be generalised as the investigations would be done on a range of individuals whilst using same controlled measures

Question 8

Eval - Nomothetic has Real Life Application (S)

Answer 8

. Bio psychologists take nomothetic approach when explaining OCD
. Went on to create drug therapies on basis of this nomothetic research which continues to improve many lives
. Proves how nomothetic research improves the lives of many due to its ability to be generalised whereas idiographic approach can only help 1 individual at a time

Question 9

Eval - Idiographic more suitable than Nomothetic (S)

Answer 9

. Treatments such as drug therapies aren’t successful for all patients and some argue alternate treatments such as CBT are more suitable
. CBT is an idiographic method as only focuses on individuals personal experiences - effective for that individual
. Proves although more time consuming method, CBT is more effective for the individual as it can help to undercover the reasons behind the persons illness

COUNTER-ARGUMENT = most argue best method is to use both CBT and drug therapies which contradicts the whole debate