量化研究与质化研究:社会科学领域两种对立的研究范式

Quantitative and Qualitative Researches:Two Competing Research Paradigms in Social Sciences

量化研究与质化研究是社会科学领域两种对立的研究范式,两者在研究目标、对象及方法上都存在着明显的对立。具体说来,这些对立主要包含以下几个方面:研究目标上,量化研究重视预测控制而质化研究重视对意义的理解;研究对象上,量化研究强调事实的客观实在性而质化研究强调对象的主观意向性;研究方法上,量化研究注重经验证实而质化研究注重解释建构。这些对立在一定意义上也是相对的,要求我们以一种方法论的多元主义来对待两者的关系,按照问题来选择方法,而不是相反。

Quantitative and qualitative researches are in opposition to each other in social sciences in terms of their research goals, objects and methods. In particular, they differ from each other in the following aspects： in terms of research goals, the former place emphasis on the control of prediction but the latter on the understanding of meaning; in terms of research objects, the former attaches more importance to factuality and objectivity but the latter to the subjectivity embodied in the research objects; in terms of research methods, the former pay more attention to empirical evidence but the latter to interpretation and construction. These conflicts, however, are not absolute, so we have to adopt a pluralistic attitude toward the opposition between qualitative and quantitative researches; we have to select the method according to the issue in question but not vice versa.