In the field of
clinical human science
Human science (or human sciences in the plural), also known as humanistic social science and moral science (or moral sciences), studies the philosophical, biological, social, and cultural aspects of human life. Human science aims to expand our u ...
s, an idiographic image is the representation of a result which has been obtained thanks to a study or
research method
Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness t ...
whose subject-matters are specific cases, i.e. a portrayal which avoids
nomothetic
Nomothetic literally means "proposition of the law" (Greek derivation) and is used in philosophy, psychology, and law with differing meanings.
Etymology
In general humanities usage, ''nomothetic'' may be used in the sense of "able to lay down t ...
generalizations.
''Diagnostic formulation'' follows an ''idiographic criterion'', while ''diagnostic classification'' follows a ''nomothetic criterion''.[Battacchi M.W., (1990), ''Trattato enciclopedico di psicologia dell'età evolutiva'', Piccin, Padova. ]
In the field of psychiatry, psychology and clinical
psychopathology, idiographic criterion is a method (also called ''
historical method
Historical method is the collection of techniques and guidelines that historians use to research and write histories of the past. Secondary sources, primary sources and material evidence such as that derived from archaeology may all be drawn ...
'') which involves evaluating past experiences and selecting and comparing information about a specific individual or event. An example of ''idiographic image'' is a
report
A report is a document that presents information in an organized format for a specific audience and purpose. Although summaries of reports may be delivered orally, complete reports are almost always in the form of written documents. Usage
In ...
, diagram or health history showing medical, psychological and pathological features which make the subject under examination unique.
Where there is no prior detailed presentation of clinical data, the summary should present sufficient relevant information to support the diagnostic and aetiological components of the formulation.
The term ''diagnostic formulation'' is preferable to diagnosis, because it emphasises that matters of clinical concern about which the clinician proposes aetiological hypotheses and targets of intervention include much more than just diagnostic category assignment, though this is usually an important component.[Shields R., ''Emergency psychiatry. Review of psychiatry''. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 37, 4, 498-499, 2003. ]
The expression ''idiographic image'' appeared for the first time in 1996 in the
SESAMO research method manual.
[Boccadoro L., (1996) '' SESAMO: Sexuality Evaluation Schedule Assessment Monitoring. Approccio differenziale al profilo idiografico psicosessuale e socioaffettivo''. O.S., Firenze. IT\ICCU\CFI\0327719]
This term was coined to mean that the
report
A report is a document that presents information in an organized format for a specific audience and purpose. Although summaries of reports may be delivered orally, complete reports are almost always in the form of written documents. Usage
In ...
of the test provided an anamnestic report containing a family, relational and health history of the subject and providing
semiological data regarding both the psychosexual and the social-affective profile. These profiles were useful to the clinician in order to formulate
pathogenetic and
pathognomonic Pathognomonic (rare synonym ''pathognomic'') is a term, often used in medicine, that means "characteristic for a particular disease". A pathognomonic sign is a particular sign whose presence means that a particular disease is present beyond any doub ...
hypotheses.
[Boccadoro L., Carulli S., (2008) ]
The place of the denied love. Sexuality and secret psychopathologies (Abstract English, Spanish, Italian)
'. Edizioni Tecnoprint, Ancona.
See also
*
Nomothetic and idiographic Nomothetic and idiographic are terms used by Neo-Kantian philosopher Wilhelm Windelband to describe two distinct approaches to knowledge, each one corresponding to a different intellectual tendency, and each one corresponding to a different branch o ...
*
Sexological testing
Bibliography
External links
Glossario di Sessuologia clinica - Glossary of clinical sexology
Clinical psychology
Personality traits
Psychiatric assessment
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