INTRODUCTIONExtraordinary research includes the interpretation of social phenomena and realities in the social world. In an attempt to explain social realities, Simons and Wurtele (2010) explored the intergenerational cycle of violence in their study. They examined the relationship between parental approval and children's approval of corporal punishment (CP), the subsequent relationship between children's experience of CP and preference for hitting to resolve interpersonal conflict. They sampled 102 families including parents and children. While parents were assessed using three self-report measures, namely; conflict tactics scales, survey of parental disciplinary attitudes, and parental beliefs about punishment vignettes, children were assessed using children's beliefs about punishment vignettes and children's problem-solving vignettes. Finally, the conclusion of their study supported the intergenerational cycle of violence. In social research, the influence of the quantitative research method began to decline in the mid-1970s, when the qualitative research method began to gain ground, despite this, the quantitative research method is still highly valued by the social community . researchers including Simons and Wurtele, 2010. According to Bryman (2008:22), the key difference between these two methods is their orientation towards; role of theory in relation to research, epistemology and ontology. While the quantitative is deductive in nature and applies positivism and objectivism, the qualitative is inductive, applies interpretivism and constructionism (Ibid). Despite these differences and numerous arguments about the relevance of each method, the two methods remain a significant part of social science research (Miles and Huberman, 1994:40). However, with the use of quan...... middle of paper ...... Chapman, S., 2005. Research methods. 3rd ed. USA and Canada: Routledge.Miles, M.B. and Huberman, A.M., 1994. Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. 2nd ed. London: Sage.Neuman, W.L., 2000. Social Research Methods; Qualitative and quantitative approach. 4th ed. USA: Pearson Education, Inc.Ogunbameru, OA, 2004. Research Methods in the Social Sciences. 2nd ed. Norway: D-Net Communications.Rugg, G. and Petre, M., 2007. A Gentle Guide to Research Methods. USA: McGraw Hill Company.Simons, AD and Wurtele, KS, 2010. Relationships between parents' use of corporal punishment and children's approval of spanking and hitting other children. Child Abuse and Neglect, 34(9), pp.639-646.Trochim, William M. The Research Methods Knowledge Base, 2nd edition. WWW page on the Internet, at URL: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/ [Accessed 27 November 2010].