Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

A Brief History

White & Cooper (2022) claim that the polarization between qualitative and quantitative research approaches has a complex history that reflects broader philosophical debates about the nature of reality and how it can be understood. According to the researchers, the whole history experiences five different development stages. The origins of qualitative research can be traced back to ancient Greece, where philosophers engaged in forms of inquiry that sought to understand the essence of things beyond mere numbers or measurements. This tradition laid the groundwork for qualitative methods that focus on understanding meaning, context, and the complexity of human experience. With the appearance of positivism in the 19th century, which emphasized empirical evidence and the scientific method, quantitative research became the dominant paradigm. As Sheppard (2020) explicates, this approach, rooted in the natural sciences, sought to discover universal laws through objective measurement and statistical analysis. Throughout the 20th century, the social sciences witnessed a divergence of methodologies as researchers debated the merits of quantitative versus qualitative approaches. As Ercikan & Roth (2006) remark, the quantitative researchers argued for the generalizability and objectivity of their methods, while qualitative researchers emphasized the depth, richness, and context-specific insights their methods provided. By the late 20th century, the usefulness of this polarization was questioned according to Ercikan & Roth (2006), as the dichotomy was limiting and a more integrated approach, using both qualitative and quantitative methods, could provide a fuller understanding of research questions. Today, there is a growing recognition of the value of methodological pluralism. Researchers are increasingly adopting mixed methods, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches to leverage the strengths of both. This shift reflects an understanding that complex social phenomena often require multiple lenses to be fully understood (Ercikan & Roth, 2006; Lockyer, 2008; Brinkman, Jacobsen & Kristiansen, 2014). In general, the history of the polarization between qualitative and quantitative research is marked by shifts in philosophical thought, methodological preferences, and practical considerations in the pursuit of knowledge. While the debate continues, there is a clear trend towards recognizing the complementary nature of both approaches.