What are Quantitative and Qualitative Research Anyway? Discussion

1. What are Quantitative and Qualitative Research Anyway?Discussion Pertti Alasuutari University of Tampere Department of Sociology and Social Psychology

2. Scientistic and Humanistic Approaches • Origins of empirical social research in the Enlightenment idea of rational governance aided by scientific research of society • Randomized controlled trials of reforms • The survey as a quasi-experimental design

3. Scientistic and Humanistic Approaches • There was also a humanistic approach early on in sociology • the late 19th century Methodenstreit, “method battle” in Max Weber’s time • in the 1930s United States a clash between symbolic interactionism and positivistic scientism of William F. Ogburn, George Lundberg and Reed Bain

4. Scientistic and Humanistic Approaches • The tension did not necessarily divide people into two camps • For instance Paul Lazarsfeld, a key figure in American quantitative social research, was also interested qualitative analysis • Robert K. Merton, another developer of survey methodology at Columbia University, also developed the focused interview • Theorists have been liberal toward different methods, which they see as just producing food for thought for theory-building

5. From Theorists to Qualitative Researchers • ’Qualitative research’ evolved from an increased interest in social theory • ”Qualitative research” was a product of the 1960s critique of positivism • E.g. according to Payne et al. 2004, in Britain an increase in qualitative papers is due to a decline of non-empirical papers • A study about articles published in the major Finnish sociology journal Sosiologia from 1964 to 2004 (Räsänen et al. 2005) show that qualitative research has grown at the expense of theoretical articles

6. Conclusion • The increased proportion of qualitative papers is an indication of social science becoming more empirically based • ’Qualitative research’ carries on one aspect of sociological research, interpretation of evidence • Practices described as part of qualitative research process are part of all social research