Idiographic and Nomothetic Approaches

Question 1

What is a Nomothetic approach?

Answer 1

1. In psychology, the nomothetic approach applies general laws and theories to explain behaviour across a whole population,
2. Nomothetic research uses research methods such as laboratory experiments and correlational research, which involves groups of participants to draw general conclusions,
3. It usually uses quantitative methods to draw conclusions.

Question 2

What is an idiographic approach?

Answer 2

1. The idiographic approach focusses on the individual in detail,
2. It looks at what makes each person different, and avoids making general laws and theories,
3. Idiographic research uses research methods such as case studies, interviews, and observations, that focus on the individual,
4. It usually uses qualitative methods to analyse its findings.

Question 3

Evaluations of the nomothetic approach?

Answer 3

1. Research methods frequently used in this approach mean that it is pretty controlled, objective, and scientific. The theories it produces can be scientifically tested,
2. However, these research methods can lack ecological validity, and so can’t be reliably generalised to real-life,
3. In creating general laws, individual differences are ignored. So, it is less useful for explaining behaviour that doesn’t fit in with the norms of the general laws.

Question 4

Evaluations of the idiographic approach?

Answer 4

1. The idiographic approach focusses on the individual, so it can give a more complete explanation of behaviour than the nomothetic explanation,
2. However, this often means that fewer people are studied, so it is tricky to generalise findings to larger populations. It can also be seen as a less scientific approach than the nomothetic approach,
3. On the other hand, detailed studies of individual cases can help to develop nomothetic laws by providing extra information. For example, theories of memory have often come about from laboratory studies combined with more detailed case studies of people who have suffered from brain damage.

Question 5

Is the psychodynamic approach idiographic or nomothetic?

Answer 5

1. Can be seen as having both nomothetic and idiographic components,
2. For example, Freud’s theory of psychosexual development assumed that the same stages could explain everyone’s development, showing a nomothetic approach,
3. However, his approach was also partially idiographic because it involved investigating how an individual experiences the world through the use of case studies.

Question 6

Is the biological approach idiographic or nomothetic?

Answer 6

1. Aims to find the cause of behaviour in biological structures and processes,
2. It assumes these are the same across the population, so it is a nomothetic approach.

Question 7

Is the cognitive approach idiographic or nomothetic?

Answer 7

1. Assumes the same mental processes apply across the population, and so falls more towards the nomothetic approach.

Question 8

Is the behaviourist approach idiographic or nomothetic?

Answer 8

1. Psychologists from the behaviourist approach apply cause and effect laws to explain behaviour in general, which is thought to be a result of classical and operant conditioning,
2. So, it is a nomothetic approach.

Question 9

Is the humanistic approach idiographic or nomothetic?

Answer 9

1. This approach is heavily focussed on individuals and their drive for self-actualisation,
2. It is, therefore, completely on the idiographic side of the debate.