Idiographic and Nomothetic Approaches
The Idiographic Approach
This approach attempts to describe the nature of the individual. People are studied as unique
entities, each with their own subjective experiences, motivations, and values. There is no attempt to
compare these to a larger group, standard or norm.
It usually produces qualitative data, such as case studies, unstructured interviews and other self-
report measures.
Examples of the idiographic approach in psychology
Humanistic psychology is an example of an idiographic perspective. Carl Rogers and Abraham
Maslow took a phenomenological approach to the study of human beings and were only interested
in documenting the conscious experience of the individual. It is often “anti- scientific” but they were
more interested in investigating unique experience “on its own merits” than producing general laws
of behaviour.
The psychodynamic approach is another example as Freud used case studies when detailing the lives
of his patients. However, Freud also assumed he had identified universal laws of behaviour and
personality development- which is more akin to a nomothetic approach.
The Nomothetic Approach
Its aim is to produce general laws of human behaviour. These provide a “benchmark” against which
people can be compared, classified, and measured, and on the basis of which, likely future behaviour
can be predicted and/or controlled. It is most closely aligned with “scientific” methods” such as
experiments. It usually produces quantitative data.
Examples of the nomothetic approach in psychology
It tends to be a feature of approaches that are reductionist, determinist and employ scientific
methods of investigation. Hypotheses are formulated, tested under controlled conditions and
findings generated from large numbers of people are analysed for the statistical significance.
Behaviorist, Cognitive and Biological psychologists would meet the criteria of the nomothetic
approach.
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The Idiographic Approach
This approach attempts to describe the nature of the individual. People are studied as unique
entities, each with their own subjective experiences, motivations, and values. There is no attempt to
compare these to a larger group, standard or norm.
It usually produces qualitative data, such as case studies, unstructured interviews and other self-
report measures.
Examples of the idiographic approach in psychology
Humanistic psychology is an example of an idiographic perspective. Carl Rogers and Abraham
Maslow took a phenomenological approach to the study of human beings and were only interested
in documenting the conscious experience of the individual. It is often “anti- scientific” but they were
more interested in investigating unique experience “on its own merits” than producing general laws
of behaviour.
The psychodynamic approach is another example as Freud used case studies when detailing the lives
of his patients. However, Freud also assumed he had identified universal laws of behaviour and
personality development- which is more akin to a nomothetic approach.
The Nomothetic Approach
Its aim is to produce general laws of human behaviour. These provide a “benchmark” against which
people can be compared, classified, and measured, and on the basis of which, likely future behaviour
can be predicted and/or controlled. It is most closely aligned with “scientific” methods” such as
experiments. It usually produces quantitative data.
Examples of the nomothetic approach in psychology
It tends to be a feature of approaches that are reductionist, determinist and employ scientific
methods of investigation. Hypotheses are formulated, tested under controlled conditions and
findings generated from large numbers of people are analysed for the statistical significance.
Behaviorist, Cognitive and Biological psychologists would meet the criteria of the nomothetic
approach.
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