THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH - LESSONS FROM FEMINIST PSYCHOLOGY

The dominant methodological approach in psychological research has inv olved the use of quantitative methods within a positivist framework. I n this article we argue that both qualitative and quantitative methods have their strengths and limitations, depending on the research quest ion under investigation. We examine some of the advantages of qualitat ive methods, paying particular attention to the value of such methods for feminist researchers. We challenge the positivist assumption that all research should be apolitical and value-free, arguing that the pol itical context in which all research studies take place plays an impor tant role in decisions about the appropriate research methods to use. Despite the value attached to qualitative methods by feminist research ers, there may be projects for which quantitative methods, or a combin ation of qualitative and quantitative techniques, are more suitable. W e draw on examples from our research on the transition from school to the job market for young people, and a study of 16- to 19-year-old fir st time mothers to illustrate these points, examining the practical im plications of our arguments for applied social psychology research.