Idiographic and nomothetic 16 marker structure
Nomothetic = establish general laws based on the study of a large group.
Uses quantitative methods. Use scientific methods as they involve the study of
a large group of people where a hypothesis can be produced about general
laws. e.g. the biological approach conduct brain scans on countless human
brains to make generalisations about localisation of function. Hypothesis
tested, statistically analysed, general laws are proposed/developed.
Ao3:
Scientific methodology means reliable and large sample means representative.
It can then provide treatment based on biological abnormalities. for example,
one explanation for OCD is low levels of serotonin in the synapse which has led
to development of SSRIs which increase the level of serotonin in the synapse.
The approach may lose sight of the ‘whole person’. There are always
individuals who do not behave in the way a general law would predict, this
approach loses subjectivity. For example the types of delusions people
experience in schizophrenia is an experience that differs for everyone.
idiographic = focus on the individual and emphasis the unique personal
experience. Case study!! One example of idiographic research is within the
humanist approach. Humanist approach argues everyone seeks self-
actualisation in their own time. The counselling used is also person-centred, as
they believe congruence in order to self-actualise is specific to each person.
Ao3:
Strength is Taking into account multiple factors for each individual offers a
fuller, more comprehensive explanation of human behaviour that is often
complex. For example often mental health disorders vary from person to
person so a general law may not be effective. This approach may have more
validity, as It considers meaningful human behaviours within its real-life
context.
However the idiographic approach is very unscientific meaning it has little
practical applications. In the context of mental health, this makes it harder to
develop treatments as a direct cause is not established because an idiographic
approach takes into account lots of factors.
Nomothetic = establish general laws based on the study of a large group.
Uses quantitative methods. Use scientific methods as they involve the study of
a large group of people where a hypothesis can be produced about general
laws. e.g. the biological approach conduct brain scans on countless human
brains to make generalisations about localisation of function. Hypothesis
tested, statistically analysed, general laws are proposed/developed.
Ao3:
Scientific methodology means reliable and large sample means representative.
It can then provide treatment based on biological abnormalities. for example,
one explanation for OCD is low levels of serotonin in the synapse which has led
to development of SSRIs which increase the level of serotonin in the synapse.
The approach may lose sight of the ‘whole person’. There are always
individuals who do not behave in the way a general law would predict, this
approach loses subjectivity. For example the types of delusions people
experience in schizophrenia is an experience that differs for everyone.
idiographic = focus on the individual and emphasis the unique personal
experience. Case study!! One example of idiographic research is within the
humanist approach. Humanist approach argues everyone seeks self-
actualisation in their own time. The counselling used is also person-centred, as
they believe congruence in order to self-actualise is specific to each person.
Ao3:
Strength is Taking into account multiple factors for each individual offers a
fuller, more comprehensive explanation of human behaviour that is often
complex. For example often mental health disorders vary from person to
person so a general law may not be effective. This approach may have more
validity, as It considers meaningful human behaviours within its real-life
context.
However the idiographic approach is very unscientific meaning it has little
practical applications. In the context of mental health, this makes it harder to
develop treatments as a direct cause is not established because an idiographic
approach takes into account lots of factors.
