Question 1(a) · 12.5 marks · 195 words written
Idiographic and nomothetic approach
Opening
Idiographic and nomothetic approach are two different methods of data analysis often to draw a distinction between history and sociology.
Body · continuous prose
Idiographic approach rests on the deductive logic of drawing the particular from empirical generalisations. Thus a particular social fact can be drawn from a larger context to behave or function in a similar pattern For instance, the correlation between suicide and regulation or integration, strong in the late 19th and early 20th century, would have relevance for the contemporary context as well.
The Nomothetic approach on the other hand is based on inductive logic of forming general laws for the purpose of grand theorisation. Often scientific analysis tends to move in these directions. Thus a particular aspect of human social life if shows strong correlations with another aspect (variable), the relationship can be inferred to be strong across time and space. This leads to theoretical propositions. For example, functionalism rests on grand postulates of organic analogy, the functionality of existing social practices and social order as theoretical generalisation.
Close · a summary
Often Sociological theorisation tends to move towards empirical generalisations from the particular. This distinguishes it from history, which is more contextual and unique to the time-space matrix.