1. The Nature of Quantitative Research
Bryman: Social Research Methods: 3e
Chapter 6
The Nature of Quantitative Research
Authored by Susie Scott 1

2. The stages of quantitative research
Theory/hypothesis
Research design
Devise measures of concepts
Select site and sample
Collect data
Code and analyse data
Write up
See pages 2

3. Concepts and their measurement
concepts = “categories for the organisation of ideas and observations” (Bulmer, 1984: 43)
may provide explanations of social phenomena
may represent things we want to explain
measurements
delineate fine differences between people/cases
consistent and reliable
more precise estimates of the degree of relatedness between concepts
See page 143 3

4. Indicators of concepts
produced by the operational definition of a concept
less directly quantifiable than measures
common sense understandings of the form a concept might take
multiple-indicator measures
concept may have different dimensions
See page 144 4

5. Reliability Stability over time Internal reliability
test-retest method (correlation between measure on different occasions)
Internal reliability
split-half method (correlation between measures on two halves of a scale)
Cronbach’s alpha
Inter-observer consistency
agreement between different researchers
See pages 5

6. Validity Measurement validity: Validity presupposes reliability
Face validity
Concurrent validity
Predictive validity
Construct validity
Convergent validity
Validity presupposes reliability
(but not vice versa)
See pages 6

7. The main preoccupations of quantitative researchers
1. Measurement
can a concept be quantified?
comparisons between measures
changes in a variable over time
2. Causality
explanations of social phenomena
causal relationships between independent and dependent variables
inference only in cross-sectional designs
See pages 7

8. The main preoccupations of quantitative researchers
3. Generalization
can the results be applied to individuals beyond the sample?
aim to generalize to target population
requires representative sample (random, probability sample)
4. Replication
detailed description of procedures allows other researchers to replicate study
low incidence of published replications
See pages 8

9. Criticisms of quantitative research
failure to distinguish between objects in the natural world and social phenomena
artificial and spurious sense of precision and accuracy
presumed connection between concepts and measures
Cicourel (1964) ‘measurement by fiat’
respondents make different interpretations of questions and other research tools
See page 159 9

10. Criticisms of quantitative research
lack of ecological validity
reliance on instruments and measurements
little relevance to participants’ everyday lives
variation in the meaning of concepts to each individual
static view of social life
relationships between variables
ignores processes of human definition and interpretation (Blumer, 1956)
See page 160 10

11. Is it always like this?
quantitative research design is an ideal-typical approach
useful as a guide of good practice
but discrepancy between ideal type and actual practice of social research
pragmatic concerns mean that researchers may not adhere rigidly to these principles
See page 160 11

12. Reverse operationism Bryman (1988)
quantitative research is usually deductive (operational definition of concepts)
but measurements can sometimes lead to inductive theorising
example: factor analysis
groups of indicators cluster together and suggest a common factor
e.g. personality trait research
See page 160 12

13. Reliability and validity testing
published accounts of quantitative research rarely report evidence of reliability and validity (Podsakoff & Dalton, 1987)
researchers are primarily interested in the substantive content and findings of their research
running tests of reliability and validity may seem an unappealing alternative!
but researchers remain committed to the principles of good practice
See pages 13