What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative research?

The distinction highlighted in the correct choice is foundational to understanding research methodologies. Qualitative research is primarily concerned with exploring and understanding behavioral aspects of a subject, including motivations, feelings, and experiences. It uses methods like interviews, focus groups, and observations to gather insights that are not easily quantifiable. This type of research is about gaining depth of understanding rather than measuring how much of something exists.

In contrast, quantitative research focuses on collecting numerical data that can be analyzed statistically. It seeks to quantify variables and often employs tools like surveys, experiments, and structured observations to gather information that can be transformed into usable statistics or numbers. This approach allows researchers to generalize findings to larger populations based on analyses of numerical data.

Thus, the accurate characterization of qualitative research as focusing on understanding behavior and the quantitative approach as collecting numerical data clearly articulates the primary difference between these two methods. Understanding this distinction is critical for selecting the appropriate research method for a given study based on the research goals.