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idiographic vs nomothetic - Coggle Diagram
idiographic vs nomothetic
idiographic- Greek ‘idios’ = ‘private/personal'
People are studied as unique entities with their own subjective experiences
Associated with methods that produce qualitative data;
case studies,
unstructured interviews
self-report techniques
Attempts to describe the nature of the individual
Mainly used by humanistic & psychodynamic approaches
nomothetic-Greek ‘nomos’ = ‘law’
Produce general laws of human behaviour
Future behaviours can be predicted and controlled
Mainly used in the biological & behaviourist approaches
Study of large numbers of people so we can see how people are similar/different
Objectivity is key – ensures replication is possible and reduces influence of biases
numerical data to analyse for statistical significance
Scientific method that produces quantitative data
idiographic evaluation
Strengths-A major strength of the idiographic approach is its focus on the individual. Gordon Allport argues that it is only by knowing the person as a person that we can predict what the person will do in any given situation.
Findings can serve as a source of ideas or hypotheses for later study.
Limitations-The idiographic approach is very time consuming. It takes a lot of time and money to study individuals in depth. If a researcher is using the nomothetic approach once a questionnaire, psychometric test or experiment has been designed data can be collected relatively quickly
Nomothetic evaluation
Strengths-Regarded as scientific as it is: precise measurement; prediction and control of behaviour; investigations of large groups; objective and controlled methods allowing replication and generalisation.
Has helped psychology as a whole become scientific by developing laws and theories which can be empirically tested.
Limitation-Predictions can be made about groups but these may not apply to individuals.
Approach has been accused of losing sight of the ‘whole person’.
Conclusion-
Idiographic and nomothetic approaches should not be seen as conflicting. It is more helpful to see them as complementary. The insights from an idiographic approach can shed more light on the general principles developed using the nomothetic approach.
For example, Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation suggests that extreme maternal deprivation is irreversible. This theory was developed using a nomothetic approach.
However, the case of Koluchova’s twins demonstrates that in this single, idiographic, case maternal deprivation was overcome. Bowlby’s theory can therefore be challenged.
As always, it is best to take a combined approach. Millon & Davis (1996) suggest research should start with a nomothetic approach and once general ‘laws’ have been established, research can then move to a more idiographic approach. Thus, getting the best of both worlds!