Do you like looking at numbers and telling others what those numbers mean? Do you enjoy your research methods and statistics courses? Do you like addressing real-world problems with data-driven statements? Then quantitative psychology may be for you.
What We Do
Quantitative psychologists are involved in the study of statistical methods, the modeling of psychological processes, data analysis and research methodology. They use statistical and methodological expertise to explore a variety of topics in ways that contribute to science, practice, education and the public interest. Although quantitative psychologists study many content areas, they share an interest in quantitative methodology.
Depending on their skills, training and interests, quantitative psychologists engage in a variety of activities. Some quantitative psychologists conduct research on new methods, psychometric properties, or measurement or assessment techniques. For example, a quantitative psychologist interested in structural equation modeling could run models under different conditions, compare the results and identify the technique with the best results.
Other quantitative psychologists provide guidance about research design, while still others conduct data analyses. A quantitative psychologist could make decisions about research methodology, such as sampling procedures, research protocols and survey design. For example, a quantitative psychologist may conduct market research by collecting and analyzing data through surveys and focus groups. Quantitative psychologists conduct a full spectrum of data analyses, ranging from descriptive statistics to longitudinal analyses to everything in between. Expertise in such areas as big data and complex methodology allow them to make sense of large amounts of information. This is a small sample (pun intended) of possibilities for quantitative psychologists.
Career Options
Career options in quantitative psychology cut across all areas of psychology. Quantitative psychologists work in a variety of settings, such as colleges and universities, research centers, private organizations and businesses, and government settings. They often serve as consultants for specific research projects. Those in colleges and universities may be involved in teaching the next generation of quantitative psychologists.
The 2009 report of APA's Task Force for Increasing the Number of Quantitative Psychologistsopens in new window (PDF, 560KB) indicated that there is a shortage of quantitative psychologists. This suggests that job prospects are good, as there are more available jobs than qualified people to fill them.
Preparation
If you are interested in pursuing a career in quantitative psychology, there are a few key points to keep in mind.
- Attend graduate school. A doctorate in psychology is the entry-level degree for most quantitative psychologist positions. Doctoral programs vary in their requirements for applicants; check with individual programs about their background and experience requirements.
- Prior to attending graduate school, get involved in research. Research positions at this level often involve the grunt work of quantitative psychology, such as data entry, data cleaning or record keeping on study participants. But these positions also help you experience the complexities of the research process. Eventually, you will be able to take on greater methodological responsibility.
- Consider working on an independent research project with a focus on a data question. This could involve collecting your own data, or it could use publicly available datasets. For example, the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research at the University of Michiganopens in new window and federal agencies such as U.S. Census Bureauopens in new window, National Center for Science and Engineering Statisticsopens in new window and National Center for Education Statisticsopens in new window have large datasets on a variety of topics.
- Take statistics and mathematics courses. With permission of the instructor, you may be able to take graduate-level courses as an undergraduate. Some course options include measurement, modeling techniques, longitudinal analyses, assessment, research design and ethics.
- Don’t forget about coursework in communications and writing. You need to effectively convey your findings to a variety of audiences.
Resources
- APA’s Div. 5 (Quantitative and Qualitative Methods) serves as a resource for information about quantitative psychology.
- Div. 5 maintains a list of doctoral programs in quantitative psychology and related areas.
- Find more about quantitative psychology.
About the Author
Karen Stamm, PhD, is a senior research officer at APA’s Center for Workforce Studies . Her research has focused on women in science, health behaviors in older adults and the psychology workforce and education pipeline. She received her MA and PhD in psychology (with a focus on quantitative methods and research methodology) from the University of Rhode Island and BA in psychology and English from Boston College.
