QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH TRADITIONS

 COMPARING QUALITATIVE & QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH TRADITIONS

'Worldview' , 'Paradigm', 'epistemologies and ontologies', or 'broadly conceived research methodologies' - are quite synonymously used in the field of research. The researcher depending on his field of study and past experiences acquired through researches choose one of the worldview or paradigms to conduct his work. The four most widely used research methodologies are - post-positivism, constructivism, transformative and pragmatism.

Logical - positivism and Phenomenological inquiry are the two prominent research methodologies or paradigms. The former one is the scientific one, most used as it includes statistical analysis and scientific assessment, referred to as Quantitative research method. The other one is more focused on detailed interpretation of phenomena, or qualitative analysis.

The Post-positivism or the so called 'scientific method' uses the technique experimentation to test the hypotheses and involves elementary manipulation, controlling of variables and statistical analysis to claim the knowledge while studying living organism's behavior. This research method is widely summoned as 'Quantitative method'. The Quantitative method is more based on a universal cause-effect relation which makes it more goal oriented, conceptual and includes proper design. This research paradigm involves prediction, hypotheses testing, statistical analysis and involves standardized tests.

The 'Social Construction of Reality' (Berger and Luckmann; 1967) and Guba's (1985) 'Naturalistic Inquiry' are ideas behind the next paradigm. Social-constructivism or Phenomenological inquiry approaches towards Qualitative research method. The main emphasis here, is to gain 'as much as' knowledge about the participant's view-point of the situation. Whereas, in Qualitative research approach there is null knowledge about things-in-themselves. It encompasses grounded theory, understanding natural behavior and observation of the target population in real life settings. This paradigm is flexible and can be altered or modified at any point of the study. Also, unstructured in nature. The open-ended questions must be framed in a way, so as to gather a clear view about the lifestyle and a broader or generalized fact.

In case of Quantitative research, the data is collected usually in laboratory setting. Whereas, in case of Qualitative research study the data is collected in natural setting, where the phenomenon has taken place and the researcher is present during data collection ensuring a good relationship with the subjects.

In Quantitative approach, the Independent variable is manipulated by the experimenter. For Qualitative approach, the Independent variable is already exposed to the subjects.

Quantitative research is done following random sampling , in case of Qualitative research it is not possible to assign samples following random sampling methods. 

To sum up all the points:

References:

Best, J. W., & Kahn, J. V. (2016). Research in education. Pearson Education India.

Creswell, J. W. (1999). Mixed-method research: Introduction and application. In Handbook of educational policy (pp. 455-472). Academic Press.

 

MASLOW'S NEED HIERARCHY THEORY

 

The term 'Motivation' has been defined by many psychologists throughout the timeline. It can be considered as something which forces or drives, elicits and zests an individual to enact or response in a certain way at a definite time for reaching a determined goal or motive.

According to Ciccarelli and White motivation is "the process by which activities are started, directed and continued so that physical or psychological needs or wants are met".

To lucidly understand the concept of motivation one must go through different theories concerning the urges, necessities, inclinations and aspirations of beings.

Abraham Maslow originated the first humanistic theory based on the hierarchy of needs (1943, 1987). The other names for the theory are Humanistic theory, Transpersonal theory, Holistic-dynamic theory, The 3rd force in Psychology, the 4th force in Personality, Need theory and Self-actualization theory.

This particular theory on the zone of motivation is based on the ladder of needs including both the fundamental needs or needs for survival, as well as, the growth needs. The stages of need hierarchy theory are as follows:

a) PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS: The very crude for human survival, physiological need includes the basics like hunger, thirst, sex, fatigue etc. These are the sole needs which can be completely satisfied or overly satisfied and they are recurring in nature.

b) SAFETY NEEDS: This is to feel safe and secure both in terms of physical and psychological factors. The requirement for shelter to protect oneself from any environmental threats or having a financial security - both gives the sense of being safe.

c) BELONGINGNESS AND LOVE NEEDS: We all know that human beings are social animals, we cannot live alone. This particular need concentrates on the giving and receiving of love. To be accepted by the people present in the surrounding, to be loved and to be a part of the social groups or to belong is the next on the ladder after one satisfies safety needs.

d) ESTEEM NEEDS: Self-esteem is an individual's own feeling of worth and confidence. More or less every person wants to achieve, gain approval and recognition, which fulfills their need for esteem. It is mainly based on true competence and not on others' opinions.

e) SELF-ACTUALIZATION: According to Maslow, "the point that is seldom reached at which people have sufficiently satisfied the lower needs and achieved their full human potential". Individuals who respect and survives on depending upon the B-values like truth, beauty, justice and other such factors, shows the trait of self-actualization. This is the need to discover self-fulfillment and to reach one's fullest potential.

The other needs which were later added to this theory were - Cognitive needs, Aesthetic needs and Transcendence needs.

 

References:

Quinton, S. (2015). Saundra K. Ciccarelli and J. Noland White, Psychology (/Global Edition).