Qualitative Research vs Quantitative Research
Qualitative research
gathers information that is not in numerical form. For example, diary
accounts, open-ended questionnaires, unstructured interviews and
unstructured observations. Qualitative data is typically descriptive
data and as such is harder to analyze than quantitative data.
Qualitative
research is useful for studies at the individual level, and to find
out, in depth, the ways in which people think or feel (e.g. case
studies).
Analysis of qualitative data is difficult
and requires accurate description of participant responses, for
example, sorting responses to open questions and interviews into broad
themes. Quotations from diaries or interviews might be used to
illustrate points of analysis. Expert knowledge of an area is necessary
to try to interpret qualitative data and great care must be taken when
doing so, for example, if looking for symptoms of mental illness.
An
interest in qualitative data came about as the result of the
dissatisfaction of some psychologists (e.g. Rogers) with the scientific
study of psychologists such as the behaviourists (e.g. Skinner). Since
psychologists study people, the traditional approach to science is not
seen as an appropriate way of carrying out research, since it fails to
capture the totality of human experience and the essence of what it is
to be human. Exploring the experience of participants is known as a
phenomenological approach (re: Humanism).
It is argued
that to focus on isolated pieces of behavior, as is most often the
case in studies interested in collecting quantitative data, is rather
superficial, and ignores the social context within which behaviour
takes place. Given that psychological research is something which
happens in a social context, the objectivity of the researcher, central
to traditional methods, is seen as essentially false within psychology.
As people studying people, researchers necessarily have attitudes and
values which they bring to their research. It is therefore more honest
that researchers' attitudes and values should be acknowledged, and form
part of the context of research.
Quantitative Research
Quantitative research gathers
data in numerical form which can be put into categories, or in rank
order, or measured in units of measurement. This type of data can be
used to construct graphs and tables of raw data.
Experiments
typically yield quantitative data, as they are concerned with measuring
things. However, other research methods, such as observations and
questionnaire can produce both quantitative and qualitative
information. For example, a rating scale or closed questions on a
questionnaire would generate quantitative data as these produce either
numerical data or data that can be put into categories (e.g. “yes”,
“no” answers). Whereas open-ended questions would generate qualitative
information as they are a descriptive response. A good example of a
qualitative research method would be the case study.
Experimental methods limit the possible ways in which a research
participant can react to and express appropriate social behaviour.
Findings are therefore likely to be context-bound and simply a
reflection of the assumptions which the researcher brings to the
investigation.
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