Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research in Mass Communication

When people think of qualitative and quantitative research, many think of it in relation to the sciences, but both kinds of research can be used in mass communication as well. Let’s take a look at two different studies and explore how both methods can produce valid contributions to the mass communication field.

But first, let’s go back to the basics. Quantitative research is concerned with numerical measurements, correlation and causation between variables and is often conducted in a lab or clinical setting. Qualitative research often studies things in a natural setting and focuses on understanding what certain situations or phenomena mean to people and how that influences their behavior.

(Image from: https://www.simplypsychology.org/qualitative-quantitative.html)

The first study I looked at used a quantitative method – an online survey – to answer the question: How can journalism and mass communication professors ensure ideal conditions are established for students to best benefit from guest speakers intervening in classrooms? Using a study to conduct this research allowed the researchers to reach 545 mass communication students at two different universities. Such a large sample size allows the results of this study to be generalized to other communication programs, and therefore, providing a valuable contribution to the mass communication field.

The second study I looked at used a qualitative method – focus groups – to explore relations between social media use and body image in early adolescent girls, ages 12-14. In this kind of study, it was important for researchers to provide participants with a safe space to have an open discussion, which can help decrease self-consciousness and encourage participants to share more on the topic. Given a smaller and less representative sample size of this study, it is harder to generalize the results, but researchers hoped this study would gather preliminary data to inform further research and targeted prevention and intervention efforts to address the potential negative consequences of social media use on body image in young girls.

I did not find one method to be clearer than the other; however, when it comes to mass communication studies, I do find qualitative research more interesting because it adds a more personal touch to the research. Though the results of this research often cannot be generalized, it still provides valuable contributions to the mass communication field and can influence further research that might be able to be generalized.