Falk (1956) defines the nomothetic approach as a method to illuminate the laws and principles that define behaviors of a populace by interpreting general patterns which emerge, and the idiographic approach as an in-depth exploration of a subject where the understanding achieved is unique and personalized to the individual.
The nomothetic approach takes on the ‘history repeats itself’ attitude as expressed by Skinner’s radical behaviorism theory divulged by his experiments on rats, pigeons etc. (Smith and Woodward, 1996). The nomothetic approach’s greatest strength lies in its ability to distinguish certain trait behaviors of a population or community. This is efficent in determining an effective solution for individuals with identical behavior patterns based on the trait theory of personality. Cattell’s (1946) 16PF trait theories, large scale studies recorded as a score on a dimension is an example of nomothetic investigation of human personality by which an individual’s personality is able to be described and generalized, as well as group behavior of same scoring individuals predicted. Research such as Milgram’s experiment and the I.Q. test suggest nomothetic notions hold true for certain behavioral principals and can be used to a certain extent to generalize groups of people. The ‘Big 5’ theory in collaboration with nomothetic data is considered satisfactory to illustrate the features of personality. This method relies heavily on trait theories of personality to predict and establish behavioral personalities for a populace.
On the other hand classification of a particular populace may not hold true for a particular individual due to specific individual traits and experiences suggests Gordon Allport (Nicholson, 2000). He stated that standardized testing would not be able to examine a greater part of an individual’s personality traits thus it required focused and customized study and observation.
While the nomothetic approach is relatively accurate to determine personality of general communities, it is shown to only propose surface principle behavior, not an accurate personality detail of a person. Moreover a bulky sample has to be chosen accurately to determine emerging patterns of behavior; classification might not be precise for all the people in that particular generalization. Another evident disadvantage is the classification of a person or people based on their result such as I.Q. which is show in certain situations to create bias among the society they are in.
The idiographic approach is highly focused on an individual under investigation and is mostly qualitative based as opposed to the quantitative nomothetic way. It is largely based on Freud’s theories of consciousness, that each person has an I,D., ego and super ego and that it is unique to that particular individual. The study is comprehensive and long term, highlighting a complete understanding of the subject such as Freud’s explicit and long term clinical studies of his patients, catering to their specific needs and issues rather than a general assumption of their base persona (Gay, 1988). It is shown to be a more flexible and detailed study to gain valid knowledge about the subjects being studied; Piaget was also able to unambiguously determine his children’s behavioral patterns and psyches (Auger and Rich, 2007). Idiographic approaches focus on the understanding of the structure of the mental i.e. the conscious, the unconscious and the preconscious such as George Kelly’s repertory grid technique in addition to Carl Rogers’ Q-sort procedure (Mcleod, 2007). Data gathered from idiographic research allows the creation of unique and effective treatments. The key advantage of this method is the treatment offered after research will be efficient as it has been tailored to suit the particular individuals problem.
On the other hand the results derived from idiographic approaches are highly specific and cannot be generalized; they’re based on a limited sample of the population along with unreliable experimentation which makes the data gathered useless to define general characteristics of a group. The information analyzed is unique to the particular individual being studied and does not hold true globally in which case it is considered unscientific by psychologists.
In conclusion, while nomothetic and idiographic approaches to personality each have their advantages and disadvantages, it is evident that the type of method used would be based on what the researcher is trying to record. To distinguish a general law of similar characteristic personalities a large, accurate sample from a populace would need to be nomotheticly studied with correlation factors as well as psychometric testing and other forms of quantitative research to drawn upon a fairly conclusive theory. While precise study of an individual, would use the informal, idiographic method to derive an acute understanding of their personality. The nomothetic approach to personality is mainly supported by the trait theories of personality and idiographic approaches to personality are backed up by psychodynamic theories of personality. The main advantages these methods have is they are predominant in their own introspective fields of research while their main downfall poses as long as they remain standalone theories.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
The personality of an individual is perceived as the characteristics that shape and distinguishes one person from another, at least from a general perspective. For instance, John may be described as quiet and decisive in the way he handles different situations. On another hand, we would have Peter who is very irrational. These two distinctive characters would describe the personalities of those two individuals. However, psychologists are more particular and define personality as a dynamic with the inclusion of an organized set of characteristics possessed by an individual that distinctively or uniquely influences his or her motivations,…
- 1213 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
| * When it comes to validity, behavioral analysis can be compared to the six criteria of a useful theory. The theory has continually generated research and rates very high on falsifiability. * Because Skinner focused primarily on behavior and not on internal factors, he put a lesser importance on personality,…
- 2149 Words
- 9 Pages
Better Essays -
Personality can be described as a set of characteristics possessed by an individual that has an effect on his or her behaviour. There are several personality theories within psychology which give different ideas and attempt to give an explanation about the way personality develops. The psychodynamic and social-cognitive theories are two of the many ways personality is explored in psychology. The psychodynamic theory explains personality in terms of interactions of various components whereas the social-cognitive theory focuses on the individuals thoughts in order to explain…
- 86 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
According to our week 1 reading materials, “Personality can be defined as consistent behavior patterns and intrapersonal processes originating within the individual.” Understanding these behaviors/personalities can be a valuable tool as they will aid an individual with acting in certain ways, in particular situations. Our reading material also state, certainly we don’t act the same way in all situations. Depending on where we are and what is happening, each of us can be outgoing, shy, aggressive, friendly, depressed, frightened, or excited.…
- 393 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
Personality is an individual’s unique and relatively consistent patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. Learning about personality helps us to understand how and why people act the way they do. There are four perspectives of personality: psychoanalytic perspective, humanistic perspective, social cognitive perspective and trait perspective. The psychoanalytic emphasizes the importance of unconscious mental processes and the influence of early childhood experience. The humanistic perspective represents an optimistic look at human nature, emphasizing the self and the fulfillment of the person’s unique potential. The social cognitive perspective…
- 939 Words
- 4 Pages
Better Essays -
Personality theory is a grand subject centered between six foundational tenets. Each tenet will be discussed in detail and be accompanied by factual, scholarly evidence. Each tenet is different from the other but also entwined in the whole of the personality. The tenets each have their own relation to the individual personality; however, they are also relational to one another and work together to make up the whole personality. In order to be psychologically healthy, certain progress needs met under each foundational tenet.…
- 2193 Words
- 7 Pages
Best Essays -
Dispositional personality theories are quite different from biological personality theories. The two will be compared and dissected in this article. The Big Five Personality Test will also be analyzed and how it is used to study personality will be examined.…
- 1003 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
“When discussing the theories on personalities you could name a view that are researched. Biological Theories are the approach of genetics and personality traits. Behavioral Theories suggest that personality is a result of interaction between the individual and the environment. These theorist reject theories that internal thoughts and feeling into account. Psychodynamic Theories are influenced by Freud, focuses on the childhood experience and the unconscious mind in personality. Humanist Theories emphasizes on the importance of free will and individual experience in the development of personalities. Trait Theories is one of the largest in personality theories. It basically a relative characteristic that causes a person to act the way they do (abouteducation).”…
- 664 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
In our world there are different types of people with different types of personalities. There are many way to describe where they came from through biological or humanistic theories. In my paper I will describe biological factors that are influences to the formation to personality. I will agree to disagree with the theory of biology having an influence on personality. I will break down the basic aspects of humanistic personality theories. Last but not less I will express my opinion on biological and humanistic approach on personality are compatible.…
- 1251 Words
- 6 Pages
Powerful Essays -
There has been a rapid increase in the development of web based psychological self-help sites over the past decade. Many of these sites offer test and measures focusing on various aspect of personality and psychological functioning. The tests on the websites use self-report data to obtain information. While self-report data is easily obtained and is considered a reliable source of information in most circumstances, it is not without its limitations. This paper will examine the limitations of self-report data (S-Data) using the “Personality Disorder Test” obtained from the website www.4degreez.com.…
- 2361 Words
- 10 Pages
Best Essays -
Our personality is our characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling and acting (Psychology David G Myers), it’s the combination of traits that ‘outlines the doctrine of uniqueness’ (Gifts Differing – Understanding Personality Types) that sets us apart from everyone else. Psychologists vary between themselves concerning the meaning of personality. Most would agree that it originated from the Latin word persona’ – meaning a theoretical mask – but they differ on how an individual obtains this ‘unique mask’ (i.e. how they develop their personality) and thus this brings the divers theories of personality. This essay will compare and contrast two popular theories: one being the: Psychoanalytic theory, and the other a Humanistic approach.…
- 570 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
In this paper I will discuss the dispositional and learning theoretical approaches to personality. I will define each approach to personality, and I will define each theory that is a part of these approaches. I also will compare and contrast the dispositional and learning theoretical approaches of personality. I will describe the role of personality in affecting situational behavior when it comes to the dispositional and learning approaches to personality. I will examine the personality characteristics attributed to each of the theories I have chosen. Lastly I will explain the interpersonal relational aspects associated with the theories I have selected. I personally have not learned anything about these two approaches of personality which is why I have chosen to discuss them.…
- 1185 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
Over the many years, theorists have tried to find the answers on a number of personality questions: What makes a personality so unique to the individual? What are the origins of a personality? Is personality a psychoanalytical phenomenon, a biological process or perhaps slow learning processes developed over the course of your life? These people have developed their own perspectives on personality which each try to describe a person. There are currently…
- 2224 Words
- 9 Pages
Powerful Essays -
The study of personality is one of the major topics of interest within psychology. Numerous personality theories exist, and most of the major ones fall in to one of four major perspectives. Each of these perspectives on personality attempts to describe different patterns in personality, including how these patterns form and how people differ on an individual level.…
- 669 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
In this assignment, you are to develop your own theory of personality. You may draw upon other theories, but it should be an original one. The basic topics that need to be covered in your theory are listed below. Make sure that you support your theory with previous theories, logic, and/or psychological research. The paper should be at least seven pages double spaced; although, you will probably need to go beyond seven pages to explain all aspects of your theory. Papers will be graded based on the quality of the theory and arguments that support it. Make sure that you define and give examples of all key terms. Also, be sure to point out how your theory is different from other theories. The heart of the paper should be: why do people act the way that they do?…
- 300 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays