Final answer:
Nomothetic measures, such as questionnaires, are commonly used by psychologists to collect quantitative data efficiently from many subjects. These measures are favored for their standardized data collection and statistical analysis capabilities, although they may lack depth and rely on participants’ honest self-reporting.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the various types of measures used to collect data in psychology, nomothetic methods are widely utilized. A common example is a questionnaire where subjects answer closed-ended questions such as yes-or-no or multiple-choice. These questionnaires facilitate the collection of quantitative data, which is data in numerical form that allows for statistical analysis. The prevalence of this method among psychologists is due to its ability to provide a significant amount of information rapidly and its ease of administration to a broad audience, ensuring anonymity for participants to express personal ideas.
The pros of using such methods include standardized data collection, enabling easy comparison and generalization across groups, and the capacity for data to be statistically analyzed. However, there are cons, such as the potential for dishonest self-reporting by participants, a lack of depth compared to methods like case studies, and the possibility of misunderstanding the questions without the opportunity for clarification.
While this method is particularly effective for collecting large samples of data, the validity of the information depends on the honesty of participants. An example of the successful use of surveys in psychology is the study by Ruth W. Howard, who, in 1934, surveyed 229 sets of triplets, thus contributing significantly to the field with her groundbreaking methodology.