Sunday, November 15, 2009

Does there seem to be a trend toward quantitative or qualitative forms of research?

does there seem to be a trend toward quantitative or qualitative forms of research? Discuss which type of research is more useful to you and why

Does there seem to be a trend toward quantitative or qualitative forms of research?
Generally speaking, academics tend to use quantitative methods of research. This makes for much more empirical research. This is because qualitative research is often subjective, and if it is qualitative but an attempt is made to remove the subjectivity through quantifying results, you end up with quantitative research. Qualitative research will ALWAYS have a place in the field of psychology though. Individual case studies are key to understanding disorders of a very limited basis (like trauma to a very specific region of the brain or body).





In my work (criminal justice) the use of quantitative measures is almost always a must. This is primarily because there are a lot of criminals that go through a similar process to one another both throughout their lifespan and throughout their criminal justice system experience. That caters perfectly to quantitative measures. This is not to say that qualitative research is not done, on the contrary!





However, by-in-large, as academics we stick to what is repeatable, verifiable, and easy to explain objectively. This is critical to the continuation of the scientific process and the field of academia to continue to grow and encourage growth of our knowledge of the world :) Hope that helps.
Reply:I think scientific research has always been biased towards quantitative research. Most researchers feel that quantitative research is more valid, which was my view for a long time.





But I am currently setting up my first qualitative study, I am using IPA to interview participants about there views of a concept I am researching. Most of the research on the area has been done using questionnaires but there has been very few studies actually asking people about their perceptions and personal experiences.





I don't think qualitative studies should be discounted, they are part of the research prosses.


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