nonstatistik

Nonstatistik is a term used in some German-speaking and international methodological discussions to describe approaches to knowledge that do not rely primarily on quantitative statistics. It denotes a family of methods and epistemologies that prioritise qualitative data, interpretive analysis, and narrative evidence, emphasizing context, meaning, and lived experience over numerical measurement.

Usage and scope: The term is not universally standardized and its boundaries vary by author. It is often employed in debates about the limits of statistical inference, arguing that statistics can miss social, cultural, or subjective dimensions of phenomena. In some contexts, nonstatistik is presented as an umbrella term for non-numeric or qualitative approaches within social sciences, humanities, and design research.

Methods and data: Nonstatistik encompasses interviews, focus groups, ethnography, participant observation, discourse and textual analysis, case studies, visual methods, and other non-numerical sources. Analysts using nonstatistik typically pursue depth, context, and process, employing coding, thematic analysis, hermeneutics, phenomenology, or narrative inquiry. Mixed-methods research can integrate nonstatistik elements with statistical data when appropriate.

Strengths and limitations: Nonstatistik can reveal meanings, motivations, and social processes that statistics alone cannot capture. It supports theory development and context-sensitive interpretation but may face critiques regarding generalizability, replication, and subjectivity. Rigor is pursued through strategies such as triangulation, thick description, reflexivity, audit trails, and transparent methodological choices.

Relation to statistics: Rather than opposing statistics, nonstatistik is often presented as complementary. Researchers may combine quantitative and qualitative evidence to produce a more comprehensive understanding of complex topics.