3.5 Two Approaches to Qualitative Data

argued that ‘strength and animosity’ must come from comparison with other accounts, but what informs us here are the qualitative differences in content.

The positivism may well feel tempted to create a standardized questionnaire from the offenders elsewhere, or on a control group. The point being made, however, is that some psychological researchers have argued forcefully for the need to use the qualitative content gained in their research. It is un expected meaning contained in offenders’ account which will be of use, not the trivial but true fact that their accounts will somehow differ from non-offenders’ accounts. It is what offenders say, and we may never have heard, which research uncovers and highlights for debate. The qualitative researchers might argue too, that insights gained in interviewing a group of offenders can be generalized with as much validity as questionnaire results. A perspective on the world, quite novel and unexpected, may emerge from the interview and give another interviewer a new range of ideas to broach with different offenders, or with ‘control’ teenagers who don’t share the ideas. We have seen elsewhere that individual case studies can add important information to the pool of knowledge and ideas which constitutes our understanding of human and their behaviors. The value of Watson’s study of ‘little Albert’ was not that it was entirely quantitative. In a single subject study we learnt just how easy it was to conditions a child’s fear and we acquired interesting information about how these generalized and failed to extinguish. It seems a bit futile to argue that we should compare with a control child to ensure that the stage Albert went through did not occur just by chance. There is extremely valuable qualitative information contained within many reports or even traditionally organized research. The interviews with Asch’s participants, post testing, are illuminating and it was necessary to ask Milgram’s participants why they seemed to chuckle as they the thought they delivered fatal electric shock to an innocent victim. The extent of their stress, which forced this nervous laughter, is far more readily got at through the interview process and discussion of the meaning of what participants said.

3.5 Two Approaches to Qualitative Data

Looking through the literature on qualitative data, two general views seem to emerge on what to do with it. These correspond to the positivist non-positivist dimension but it must be stressed that this is a dimension – there are not just two views but a wide variety. For the positivist, unquantified data is accepted in a subsidiary role. It is seen as having the following uses:  It can illustrate and give a context to otherwise neutral and uninspiring statistics, as when Asch tells us how his conforming participants behaved and looked uncomfortable.

 It can lead us to hypotheses testable in quantitative terms, as with the children of unemployed parents.

The qualitative researcher, however, sees qualitative data as meaningful in its own right. In fact, the use of the term ‘qualitative method’ usually indicates a commitment to publish the results of research in qualitative terms, remembering, of course, that such a researcher is not averse to looking things qualitatively, should be opportunity arise and be found illuminating.