Over the past couple of decades there has been a burgeoning interest in qualitative methods as alternatives to the standard experimental paradigm. For their part, hard-nosed experimen­talists reject qualitative methods as unscientific or soft science (Denzin and Lincoln, 1994). In a sense, qualitative methods are treated as though they are something new, but there have always been advocates of qualitative methods in psychology. They were simply displaced by the rise of quantitative methods. In this chapter we will examine the “quantitative imperative” in psy­chology and the eventual call for alternative methods as scientific psychology began to reveal its limitations. In considering this, you should become familiar with the issues and be prepared to take a position on what are the appropriate methodologies and why. Topics considered will include the following:

• The quantitative imperative and the drive towards scientific recognition.
• The influence of statistics.
• Measurement in psychology and psychological testing.
• The experimental versus the clinical tradition.
• Is it objective to dismiss the subjective?