What kind of data collection method is primarily used in qualitative research?

In qualitative research, the primary aim is to gain an in-depth understanding of human experiences, perceptions, and social contexts. Interviews and focus groups are favored data collection methods because they allow researchers to explore participants' thoughts, feelings, and insights in a conversational manner. This approach fosters a rich, detailed exchange that captures the complexity of social phenomena.

Interviews provide the opportunity for open-ended questions, enabling participants to express themselves in their own words and share nuanced perspectives. Focus groups further enhance this method by encouraging discussion among participants, which can lead to the emergence of new ideas and a deeper understanding of the topic at hand through interaction.

In contrast, surveys with fixed responses and experiments with controlled variables are associated with quantitative research, where the goal is to measure and analyze numerical data. Secondary data analysis involves the use of existing data collected for different purposes and lacks the direct engagement needed for qualitative insights.

Thus, interviews and focus groups stand out as the quintessential qualitative methods, providing the exploratory depth essential for understanding complex social realities.