Idiographic and Nomothetic Approach (Issues and Debates)

Question 1

Nomothetic

Answer 1

Uses large and representative samples of participants to generate new laws of behaviour support existing theories

Question 2

What techniques, data and reliabilty does the Nomothetic Approach use?

Answer 2

Highly controlled experimental techniques
Quantitative (numerical) data produced
High reliability due to scientific nature

Question 3

Nomothetic Approaches vs Ideographic

Answer 3

Behaviourism, SLT, Biological and Cognitive

Humanistic andarguably Psychodynamic

Question 4

Idiographic

Answer 4

Studies individuals subjective experiences, behaviours and personalities

Each individual is unique so no attempt to find general laws

Question 5

What techniques, data and reliabilty does the Ideographic Approach use?

Answer 5

Non-experimental techniques (case studies and unstructired interviews)
Quanlitative (words) data produced
Low reliability due to unscientific nature but this results in higher validity

Question 6

The case for the nomothetic approach

Answer 6

Easy to replicate and enables generalisation of findings

Subjective bias reduced through standardised procedures and objective measurements

Question 7

The case against the nomothetic approach

Answer 7

• subjectivity experience is ignored and general laws may not accurately represent every individual in a group

Question 8

The case for the idiographic approach

Answer 8

• provides a complete and global account of the individual
• case studies such as Clive Wearing and Phineas Gage can generate new interesting areas of research

Question 9

The case against the idiographic approach

Answer 9

Time consuming due to depth and detail

meaningful generalisations cannot be made- no comparison of behaviour