Nomothetic vs Idiographic

8/10/2019 Nomothetic vs Idiographic

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Qualitative research methods


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Nomos law Used to understand behavior common to all, for inst

behavior of a group

Large scale is possible Statistical/ quantitative techniques can be more app

Provides a superficial understanding Less subjective


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In depth analysis of an individual idios own

Study of individual experiences Small scale research

Qualitative, interpretive research methods more use

Provides a complete and holistic understanding of aindividual

More subjective


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Wilhelm Windelband (1848-1915) in 1894 introduced differebetween the two concepts in speech addressing the differebetween natural sciences and humanities and position of

psychology within these boundaries.

Accordingly psychology is natural science. Gordon Allport (1897-1967) introduced these terms to

American psychology in 1937. Supported idiographic methods in study of personality trait

Natural Sciences Humanity

Sciences of natural laws Sciences of events

What always is What once has been

Nomothetic Idiographic


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PSYCHOLOGY: Gordon Allport (1937) Nomotheticdescribes the study of classes or cohorts oindividuals.

Subject/Individual is seen as a typical example of a poputheir corresponding personality traits and behaviours

Common method of study- Quantitative surveys

Idiographic describes the study of the individual, who iunique agent with a unique life history, with propertieshim/her apart from other individuals

Common method of study- Biography/ AutobiographyInterview- Narratives made by the individual


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Examples from psychologyNomothetic Approach: Behaviourism: Experiments with animals (rats, cats and pigeons)- establish

learning (B.F.Skinner) Psychological theories - generalised principles of behaviour -(e.g. intelligenc Psychological theories- Carl Jung's Psychological Types, Eysenck's three fact

the Big Five personality traits, and the Myers Briggs Type IndicatorIdiographic Approach: Freud (1909) - clinical case study method (patients interviewed over a long p

notes of his interpretations, unstructured techniques free and natural exprpatients

Gardner and Gardner (1969) interaction and observation of chimpanzee Wteaching sign language.

Piaget (1953) - longitudinal studies of cognitive development of his childrenfrequent notes and using the flexible clinical interview method and informaldetailed understanding


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SOCIOLOGY:Nomothetic Approach : Tries to find independent variables that account for the variations in a giv(e.g. What is the relationship between timing/frequency of childbirth and education). Analysis- directed towards general principles. Main Aim of study- Abstract generalisations fro From sociological perspective, application of this method entails that individual events are s

their own sake but for their significance in so far as they contribute to the formulation of ge Drawback: Nomothetic explanations are usually incomplete.

Idiographic Approach: Focuses on a complete, in-depth understanding of a single case (e.g. Why children).

ANTHROPOLOGY: Idiographicdescribes the study of a group, seen as an entity, with specific properties that set

other groups. Nomothetic refers to the use of generalization rather than specific properties of the group s


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Nomothetic Approach Idiographic Appro

In line with the deterministic, law abidingnature of science

More complete and global uof an individual

Useful in predicting and controllingbehavior

Sometimes the most efficien

Often lead to results that spaexperimental investigation o


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Nomothetic Approach Idiographic Approa

Superficial understanding of any oneperson

Difficult to generalize finding

classification manuals are not accurateand does not help people

Idiographic research tends to unreliable and unscientific (sulong term and unstandardizedprocedures)

Predictions from group results may notapply to the individual - reductionist

Difficult to analyze and replic

Nomothetic vs Idiographic

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