idiographic and nomothetic approach - issues and debates

Whats idiographic and nomothetic - method, type of data, data presentation

• idiographic - focusing on the individual and recognition of uniqueness and on the private, subjective and conscious experiences. Investigations gain written info unique to individuals being studied

• Attempts to explain the nature of individuals arguing people should be studied as unique entities - doesn’t create general laws but can challenge them

• Method: interviews

• Types of data: non numerical, verbal expressions on thoughts, feelings and emotions

• Data presentation: descriptions, quotes, case notes

• Nomothetic - attempts to establish laws and generalisations about people, objective knowledge through scientific methods and investigations gain numerical data or categorisable data

• Aim is to produce general laws of human behaviour providing a benchmark against which people can be compared, classified or measured - from this future behaviour can be predicted / controlled

• Method: experiments, questionnaires, content analysis, observation

• Types of data: numerical or categorised data - behaviour that can be measured

• Data presentation: tables, graphs, charts, statistics

According to Redford and Kirby the nomothetic approach has produced which 3 general laws

1 - classifying people into groups

2 - establishing principles of behaviour that can be applied to people in general

3 - establishing dimensions along which people can be placed, compared and measured

Combination approach and case study

• many behaviours and issues must be considered from both idiographic and nomothetic perspectives

• Million and Davis: suggest research should start with nomothetic app and once general laws been produced = focus should switch to idiographic approach to develop our understanding and theories

• As well as trying to establish general patterns and theories of behaviour, we must consider individual case studies too that produce rich, detailed data as these can enhance / develop theories

Ao3 - nomothetic approach methods = highly scientific

• e.g lab experiments such as Milgram’s shock study use standardised procedures and attempts to control EVs making them easy to replicate. This control over EVs also increases internal validity = easier to establish cause and effect

• Means theories based on these methods = greater scientific credibility than those based on idiographic apps

Ao3 = nomothetic apps = broader practical apps than idiographic apps

• as establishing norms and general laws of behaviour allows psychologists to make predictions about future behaviours and potentially to create interventions to address these behaviours

• As a result nomothetic apps can be useful in helping address certain behaviours

• E.g antidepressants work as a method to treat sufferers of depression - low seratonin levels

• Nomothetic apps - more useful in identification and intervention of certain behaviours

Ao3 - nomothetic apps may undervalue impact of individual and subjective experiences

• meaning any general laws developed using nomothetic apps may lack actual application when trying to explain or predict behaviour of individuals

• In search for generalities the nomothetic app may overlook the richness of human experience which many argue = crucial when trying to understand behaviour

• Could be that human behaviour = too complex to establish general laws and that people have to be viewed as individuals if behaviour is to make any sense

What are general laws

• aiming to establish universal principles of human behaviour by studying large groups of people using scientific methods

• Seeks to identify general laws that can be used to predict / control behaviour

• Aim - laws that apply to all / most people