1. Approaches to research
Idiographic:
Understanding behaviour through studying individual cases.
Nomothetic
Understanding behaviour through developing general laws that apply to all people.

2. Idio = personal
Nomo = Laws

3. Examples Eysenck’s personality data Little Hans Humanistic psychology
The case study method
Cognitive psychology

4. Idiographic Approach Rejects Scientific Method
Should study the individual and not groups.
Should not generalise to others as we are all unique.
Behaviour must be understood in terms of subjective experience – what it means to the individual.
Individuals are unique and should be studied this way.
Data is qualitative: non numerical, descriptive e.g. thoughts and feelings.

5. Strengths & Limitations
Cannot generalise to wider population.
Methods are subjective, flexible and unstandardised so replication, prediction and control of behaviour is difficult.
Gain detailed and informative descriptions of behaviour.
Develop a holistic understanding of individual.
Can provide hypotheses for future scientific study.

6. Exam Question…
Identify two features of the idiographic approach (2 marks)
_______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _________________________

7. Exam Question….
Identify two features of the idiographic approach (2 marks)
The approach suggests everyone is unique and therefore every one should be studied in an individual way (1 mark).
This approach also proposes that no general laws are possible because of chance, free will and the uniqueness of individuals (1 mark).

8. Nomothetic Approach
Main feature is similarities between people and laws governing behaviour.
Three kinds of general laws:
Classification:
DSM IV
Establishing principles:
Conformity & obedience
Establishing dimensions (where an individual can have a various level of a characteristics): IQ
Uses scientific method and quantitative data. E.g. numerical data: numbers, times, weight, length etc.
Group averages are statistically analysed and predictions made.
Number of words remembered.

9. Apply it
You are using the Milgram study to illustrate the nomothetic approach. Write a paragraph that would work for the following question.
With reference to one research study, outline the nomothetic approach in psychological research (4)

10. The nomothetic approach studies samples of participants and draws conclusions and creates general laws about people from this research. This is because, according to this approach people are similar and there are general laws governing human behaviour.
Milgram studied 40 participants to see what situational variables would increase obedience. He found that 65% of participants would obey an authority figure and deliver dangerously high shocks. From these findings Milgram concluded that people are strongly influenced by situational variables and are capable of obeying a legitimate authority figure, even if he is ordering them to do something that hurts another person.

11. Strengths & Limitations
Can generalise to wider populationbut only if samples are representative.
Generalised laws and principles may not apply to an individual.
Understanding is often superficial:
Same score on personality test, but different answers.
Biological explanations- for example OCD. They typically pinpoint neurotransmitters and can develop drug therapies For example SSRIs and OCD.
Methods are objective, measurable and can be verified so replication, prediction and control of behaviour is easy.

12. Exam Question
Briefly explain one strength and one limitation of the nomothetic approach. (4 marks)

13. Exam Question
Briefly explain one strength and one limitation of the nomothetic approach (4 marks)
A strength of this approach is that it has helped psychology as a whole become scientific (1 mark) by developing laws and theories which can be empirically tested (1 mark).
However, a limitation is that the approach has been accused of losing sight of the ‘whole person’ (1 mark) as it gives a superficial understanding of people– people may act the same but for different reasons (1 mark).

14. Do these approaches take an idiographic or nomothetic approach?
Cognitive
Biological
Psychodynamic
Humanistic
Behaviourist

15. Do these approaches take an idiographic or nomothetic approach?
Humanistic- idiographic
Psychodynamic- idiographic
Behaviourist- nomothetic
Cognitive- nomothetic/ idiographic (KM)
Biological – nomothetic

16. Complementary Extension
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.
Or patient KF- suggested short term memory must consist of multiple components. This sparked a whole area of nomothetic research and the development of the WMM.

17. Essay Plan
Discuss idiographic and nomothetic approaches to psychological investigation. (16 marks)
AO1, AO3.

18. Review Question:
Which of the following statements describes a nomothetic approach in psychology:
A. Studying an individual and formulating general laws
B. Studying an individual and not formulating general laws
C. Studying a large group and formulating general laws
D. Studying a group and not formulating general laws

19. Multiple Choice Questions
Which of the following statements describes a nomothetic approach in psychology:
A. Studying an individual and formulating general laws
B. Studying an individual and not formulating general laws
C. Studying a large group and formulating general laws
D. Studying a group and not formulating general laws

20. What would the technique of case studies be typically associated with?
Nomothetic or Idiographic?

21. What would the technique of case studies be typically associated with?
Nomothetic or Idiographic?

22. Would the behaviourist approach be considered more idiographic or nomothetic? And why?

23. Further Reading