Merits and demerits of quantitative revolution in geography
Answers
The quantitative revolution in geography occurred during the 1950s and 1960s. It brought about a marked change in the method behind geographical research.
Merits
1. Quantitative methods allow the researchers to conduct a broad survey and generalize the findings.
2. They yield accurate results.
3. They are standardized so they can be effectively used for comparing the research findings with similar studies.
4. It is possible to summarize vast sources of data.
5. They are reliable and valid as they follow a prescribed procedure.
6. They are not biased because they involve many cases and few variables.
7. It is possible to correlate independent and dependent variables in order to find the causality within a study framework.
8. The data collection environment can be controlled so that extraneous variables are not introduced in the study.
Demerits
1. Quantitative methods are rigid.
2. They do not provide sufficient details about motivation, attitudes and behaviour of the respondents.
3. The use of standardized questions may cause structural bias.
4. The generation and testing of hypothesis can be subjective and misleading.