Understanding Qualitative Methods

Research Methods – Qualitative Methods

In this course, Dr Philippa Carr (University of the West of England) explores qualitative methods. In the first lecture, we think about what qualitative methods are and how they differ from quantitative methods. In the second lecture, we think about theoretical frameworks and how researchers can take different theoretical perspectives. In the third lecture, we think about thematic analysis, specifically the six stages of Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Next, we think about ethics and data collection, as well as reviewing Sullivan and Gibson’s ‘qualitative kite’. In the fifth and final lecture, we think about how to apply qualitative methods, focusing on social influence and memory.

Understanding Qualitative Methods

In this lecture, we think about what qualitative methods are, focusing in particular on: (i) the fact that qualitative methods do not use hypotheses, and are not concerned with measuring numerical values; (ii) the ability of qualitative methods to capture the ‘messiness’ that quantitative methods can often miss; (iii) differentiating content analysis from quantitative methods; (iv) the challenge, and also benefit, of qualitative research methods being that there is no specific, correct answer; (v) differentiating inductive from deductive research methods, and the ability of qualitative methods to do both; (vi) the use of qualitative and quantitative methods, even in early psychological research.