Research Tips

Focus Groups versus Personal Interviews

When qualitative research is required, focus groups are the first thing that come to many people’s minds. Focus groups are the most frequently used form of qualitative research, and it’s easy to see why: since people participate together, focus groups tend to be faster and less expensive than personal interviews, which are the other commonly used method of gathering qualitative data. Even so, there are times when personal interviews should be used instead of focus groups. These include:

When the subject involves something very personal, such as an embarrassing medical problem.
When it’s likely that respondents would be concerned about other people’s reactions to their stated views and therefore, may self-censor, say something other than what they really believe, or report inaccurately about their behavior. This can occur for topics such as substance abuse, sexual practices, and political issues.
When the topic of interest is something that respondents are unlikely to discuss with other people. One example might be their preferred brand of paper towels.
When what you are interested in is people’s first reactions to something (e.g., a new product, brand, or advertisement), not their perceptions after they have had the opportunity to hear what others have to say.
When you want to be able to probe attitudes, beliefs, or behavior very deeply. Since many people participate in a focus group at the same time, there isn’t time to delve into each subject with each person in the same depth that there is in a one-on-one interview.