Idiographic vs Nomothetic approaches

Define idiographic approach

Studying individual people in depth to understand their unique experiences.

• It does not aim to find general rules or patterns. Instead, it explores the richness of personal experience.

What are the key features of the idiographic approach?

• Uses qualitative data (case studies, interviews, diaries).

• Small sample size — sometimes just one person.

• Focus = depth, not generalisation.

• Believes human behaviour is too complex to be reduced to numbers or averages.

Define nomothetic approach

Studying large groups to produce general laws of behaviour that apply to most people.

• It tries to find patterns, rules, and predictions.

What are the key features of the nomothetic approach?

• Uses quantitative data (experiments, tests, statistics).

• Based on scientific methods.

• Focus = what humans have in common, not what makes us unique.

Where does the idiographic approach appear in psychology?

• Psychodynamic approach - Freud’s Little Hans case study → explored one boy’s phobia

• Humanistic approach - Rogers’ person-centred therapy → each person is treated as unique

Where does the nomothetic approach appear in psychology?

• Cognitive approach - Loftus & Palmer → showed most people’s memory is affected by leading questions

• Biological approach - Brain scans show most depressed people have low serotonin

• Behaviourist approach - Skinner’s operant conditioning → people learn through reinforcement