Idiographic vs nomothetic

Question 1

Behaviourism

Answer 1

Nomothetic - assumes everyone (including animals) learn the same way so uses scientific approach to find general laws of behaviour

Question 2

Social learning theory

Answer 2

Nomothetic - using scientific experiemnts to determine general laws of behaviour (e.g presence of mediational processes in bobo doll variations)

Question 3

Cognitive approach

Answer 3

Nomothetic - scientific experiments and observation to draw inferences and make general laws around information processing

Question 4

Biological approach

Answer 4

Nomothetic - large scale studies to determine link physical processes and behaviour; treat all using drug therapies

Question 5

Psychodynamic approach

Answer 5

Idiograohic - involves detailed accounts and interpretations of an individual’s childhood experiences, case studies

Question 6

Humanistic

Answer 6

Idiographic - promotes a focus exclusively on subjective experience; self actualisation/motivation is different for everyone