Individual Differences approach (strengths and weaknesses)

practical application: this approach allows us to understand individual differences which can then be used to develop possible applications to benefit society in the future. Eg Canter used unique characteristics from the crime scene evidence to enable him to create an individual profile which successfully led to the criminal, John Duffy, being caught and convicted. This is a strength because it means that bottom up approach to profiling, based on specific individual differences of the killer could be used for other cases which would benefit society as more crimes are solved.
a second strength is that a range of data is collected within the individual differences approach to show both impact of individual differences on treatment and insight into why such differences may occur. Eg Thigpen and Cleckley both qual data (via interviews) and quan (via psychometric tests) collected during EW case study. This is a strength because it means that detail can be gained to help us further understand individual differences such as personality and disorders. this is useful…

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