ABSTRACT
Qualitative research uses linguistic symbols and stories to produce descriptions and interpretations of actual behavior in specific settings. Quantitative research is done with numbers and statistics. Although numbers and quantities appear in qualitative research, and words are essential for quantitative studies, the two forms of research—qualitative and quantitative—are clearly distinguished by their emphases on words and symbols versus numbers and statistics. The general objective of this chapter is to persuade scholars that doing qualitative research with a focus on words has potential to advance I/O psychology and to contribute new insights into issues addressed in I/O psychology, a field where quantification is emphasized.
