Individual and personal focus (idiographic approach).

Focusing on generalities (nomothetic approach).

Contextual point of view (including intersubjective, interpersonal, life historical, cultural and historical contexts).

Decontextualizing phenomena.

Reductionism.

The aim is to unfold the structure and the meaning of the patients' personal experiences and behavior.

Trying to unfold correlations and causal relationships.

Using complex and holistic models.

Based on using scientific models that are similar to natural scientific models (e.g. "Evolutionary Psychology").

Using qualitative and historical-interpretative methods (W M Runyan).

Using experimental and qualitative research methods.

The "first person point of view" is as important as the "third person point of view".

The "first person point of view" is more important, because it is more scientific.

Understanding is the main target.

Scientific explanation is the main target.

Requires personal and epistemological reflexivity (the role of subjectivity).

Striving for objectivity.

Based on narrative form of thought (J Bruner) and contextualist world view (Th Sarbin).

Based on paradigmatic/logical scientific form of thought (J Bruner).

Based on mechanistic world view (Th Sarbin).