There is no clear distinction between qualitative and quantitative approaches. Berg (2009) points out that quantity refers to the amount of something where the counts and measures of things are important. Quality, on the other hand, refers to the nature of things where the questions of when, where, what and how are very important. Qualitative approaches are preferred when some certain experiences cannot be discussed and expressed in numbers and measures. Instead, the researcher should observe people, go deep into their life, and understand the secrets of their behaviour. Similarly, Henwood (1997) says that a quantitative approach looks to manipulate, measure and decide the relation between many variables to test the validity of a hypothesis. In a qualitative approach, on the other hand, the interest is more in understanding the meanings of experiences, participants, events and actions, which are interpreted through the understanding of the researcher to reach meaning. Corbin and Strauss (2008) also illustrate that qualitative approaches allow the researcher to go deep into the experiences of participants to understand how events occur in culture and discover rather than test variables. What is important about qualitative approaches is that they consider not only what people say, but also what is not said and body language. A comprehensive comparison
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between quantitative and qualitative research is discussed by Mack et al. (2005: 3), as is shown in Table 5.1.
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Table 5.1: Comparison of quantitative and qualitative research approaches (Mack et al, 2005)
Quantitative Qualitative
General framework Seek to confirm hypotheses about phenomena
Instruments use more rigid style of eliciting and categorizing responses to questions
Use highly structured methods such as questionnaires, surveys, and structured observation
Seek to explore phenomena
Instruments use more flexible, iterative style of eliciting and categorizing responses to questions
Use semi-structured methods such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, and participant observation
Analytical objectives To quantify variation
To predict causal relationships
To describe characteristics of a population
To describe variation
To describe and explain relationships To describe individual experiences To describe group norms
Question format Closed-ended Open-ended
Data format Numerical (obtained by assigning numerical
values to responses)
Textual (obtained from audiotapes, videotapes, and field notes)
Flexibility in study design Study design is stable from beginning to end
Participant responses do not influence or
determine how and which questions researchers ask next
Study design is subject to statistical assumptions and conditions
Some aspects of the study are flexible (for example, the addition, exclusion, or wording of particular
interview questions)
Participant responses affect how and which questions researchers ask next
Study design is iterative, that is, data collection and research questions are adjusted according to what is learned
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Based on this thorough comparison between quantitative and qualitative research approaches, it can be said that quantitative research is fairly flexible. The researcher uses the same research tools, say a questionnaire, and asks all the participants the same questions which have fixed answers or options. As discussed by Mack et al. (2005: 3), “The advantage of this inflexibility is that it allows for meaningful comparison of responses across participants and study sites. However, it requires a thorough understanding of the important questions to ask, the best way to ask them, and the range of possible responses.” Qualitative research, in contrast, is more flexible because it gives more room for interaction between the researcher and participants. Participants are usually asked open-ended questions that does not need the same wording from all participants, so participants have the freedom in their answers to express their opinions. In this case, participants have the chance to respond more elaborately and the researcher has the chance to respond immediately to their questions and concerns and ask more questions based on their answers. A qualitative research method is an interactive means between the researcher and participants.
The most important characteristic of qualitative research is that it facilitates the process of meaning making. When studying people and their lives, meaning making is difficult because meaning is assigned to different people and objects in various ways (Krauss, 2005). In this regard, Erikson (1963) divided meaning into two main categories: unique meaning and common meaning. However, this distinction does not have clear boundaries because what is common meaning to one group might mean unique meaning to another group. Therefore, understanding unique meaning depends on the understanding of the factors that have an effect on it. Interestingly, the meaning that qualitative research looks for is unique meaning because it looks to decide the contributors to the unique meaning of groups or individuals (Krauss, 2005).
The current study investigated the socio-cultural and environmental factors that can affect the perception of natural disasters. In particular, the role of Islam and traditional values in the perception and reduction of natural disasters in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were investigated in this study. Therefore, there was a need for a holistic approach that deals with concepts and perceptions rather than numbers. The researcher felt that a qualitative approach allows the use a variety of research tools, such as questionnaires, interviews and observations, in order to form a better understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. Therefore, a qualitative
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approach was adopted for the assessment of weather-related natural disaster in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the role of Islamic teachings in the perception and reduction of the risks of natural disasters.