Focus group facts for kids
A focus group is like a special group interview. It brings together a small number of people who are similar in some way, like their age or interests. These groups help researchers understand how people react to certain questions or ideas.
Focus groups are often used in market research. This helps companies learn what people think about new products or services. The discussions can be guided by a leader or be more open. For example, a company might use a focus group to see if people like a new snack. They can also be used to find out what went well or what could be better in a project. The main goal is for the researcher to understand the participants' thoughts and feelings. If the group represents a larger population, their reactions might show what many people think. So, focus groups are a way to collect information through talking and sharing ideas.
Sociologists, psychologists, and researchers in education and public health also use focus groups. Marketers use the information from these groups to get ideas about a product or a topic. In qualitative research, these interviews ask people about their views, opinions, and beliefs. Group members are usually free to talk and interact with each other. Instead of asking questions one by one, focus groups use group talks to explore ideas. This makes focus groups a quick and helpful way to get information from many people at once. During the group, a leader takes notes or records the talk to learn from it. It's important to choose group members carefully to get useful information. Sometimes, an observer also watches for body language or people who want to speak but don't.
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History of Focus Groups
Focus groups first began in the 1940s. They were used in market research to study how people reacted to radio soap operas. During World War II, a researcher named Robert K. Merton used focus groups. He wanted to see how well propaganda messages worked.
Merton created a system where twelve people in a radio studio would press a red button for negative feelings or a green button for positive ones. Then, he interviewed them to understand their reactions better. He later set up focus groups for the Bureau of Applied Social Research. The use of focus groups by sociologists became popular in the 1980s. This was after Merton published a report about these focused interviews. Another researcher, Paul Lazarsfeld, also used them to understand reactions to war radio messages.
The term "focus group" was created by psychologist and marketing expert Ernest Dichter. He coined the phrase before he passed away in 1991.
How Focus Groups Are Used
In Libraries and Information Centers
Librarians use focus groups to understand what library users need. When they want to improve the library's collection, they ask patrons for their ideas. Teachers and other professionals can also join focus groups to share their library needs. These groups help librarians learn about how people use the library and if services are helpful.
In Social Studies
In social studies and city planning, focus groups let interviewers study people in a more natural way. People talk more freely than in one-on-one interviews. Along with watching people in their natural settings, focus groups help learn about group attitudes. A big plus of focus groups is that they cost less than surveys. This is because researchers can get results quickly from many people at once. Another good thing is that participants can learn from each other as they share ideas. This makes research a richer experience for them.
In Marketing
In marketing, focus groups are a key tool for getting feedback on new products. They are often used early in product development. This is when companies are trying to decide the main direction for a new product. Participants are chosen because they are similar to the people who might buy the product. Focus groups help companies understand what potential customers think. This happens before a product is made public. This way, companies get important information about whether people will like their product.
The focus group discussion is usually informal and natural. Participants can share their views on any part of the product. A leader uses a guide to keep the discussion on track. The talk usually starts with general thoughts about a brand. Then it gets more specific as the discussion goes on. People who designed the product usually don't join the group directly. This helps avoid making the results biased. However, they might watch through a one-way mirror or video.
Focus groups can give accurate information and are often cheaper than other marketing research methods. But there can be big costs. For example, if a product will be sold nationwide, groups might be needed in many places. This would mean spending a lot on travel for the leaders.
In Software and Website Design
In usability engineering, focus groups gather feedback from people who use software or websites. They help designers understand what users think and feel about a computer product.
Different Types of Focus Groups
There are many ways to run a focus group:
- Two-way focus group - One group watches another group and then talks about what they saw.
- Dual moderator focus group - Two leaders work together. One keeps the session smooth, and the other makes sure all topics are covered.
- Dueling moderator focus group - Two leaders purposely take opposite sides on the topic.
- Respondent moderator focus group - One participant is asked to be the leader for a short time.
- Client participant focus groups - One or more company representatives join the discussion, sometimes without the group knowing.
- Mini focus groups - These groups are smaller, with only four or five members.
- Teleconference focus groups - These use a phone network for the discussion.
- Online focus groups - People connect using computers and the internet.
- Phone/web focus groups - A live group discussion happens over the phone and online.
Tips for Running Focus Groups
When talking about sensitive topics, it's good for participants to be of the same gender, age, and background. It's also better if they don't know each other before the discussion.
People must agree to take part before the discussion starts. They should also be told about the topic and their rights. This includes knowing that their identities will be kept private.
It's important for group members to be similar. The setting should be relaxed, and the whole session should be recorded. A note-taker should write down important things, but not join the discussion. This person should know the topic well and be good at noticing body language. Their job is to turn notes into information for analysis.
The leaders and organizers must decide what topics to discuss beforehand. The leader makes sure all these areas are covered. They introduce new topics, guide the talk, and encourage everyone to speak. They also try to avoid making the results biased.
The leader should create a comfortable space where everyone feels good sharing their ideas. They must keep the discussion on track. Since participants often don't know each other, the leader helps everyone feel at ease. The purpose and format of the discussion should be clear at the start. Everyone should be encouraged to share, and different views are welcome.
It helps to explain the process to participants. They should know what to expect, like talking, discussing topics, and solving problems together. Introducing members and having a "warm-up" can prepare them. The leader should find common ground to help the group feel connected. The main discussion starts after a "stimulus," like a thought-provoking idea, a short video, or a problem to solve.
Questions should be open-ended, meaning they can't be answered with just "yes" or "no." There should be a smooth flow from one question to the next. The session should start with general questions to set the scene. Then, more specific questions can be asked to get the needed information. The focus group should end by summarizing what the participants said.
Online Focus Groups
Focus groups are usually done face-to-face. But new technology allows researchers to do them online. There are two main types: synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous methods let people have live discussions. These try to be like in-person focus groups. Challenges include finding a time that works for everyone and some people not having internet access.
Asynchronous methods gather information through online forums or email lists. These have their own challenges, like people not participating regularly. This can make the research less timely. The good things about both types of online focus groups are that no one needs to travel, and they are easy to access.
A big benefit of online focus groups is that people from different places can join. A downside is that it's harder to see body language. This can be helpful for researchers.
Why Focus Groups Work
- Group discussions can give ideas and information that would be hard to get otherwise. When one person shares their experience, it can make others remember their own. This is called the "group effect." It's like a chain reaction where ideas build on each other.
- Group members often find a common way to talk about similar experiences. This helps researchers understand how people naturally describe a situation.
- Focus groups also let people who have similar experiences share openly. For example, people who have faced bullying at work often feel alone. Focus groups can be a safe place for them to share their stories.
- The interactive nature of focus groups shows how meanings are created together. Understanding is often a shared process, making focus groups good for studying attitudes and experiences.
Good Things About Focus Groups
Focus groups offer several benefits for collecting information. They can be used alone or with other research methods. The information from focus groups can help researchers decide what questions to put in surveys. The leader can also ask about new topics that come up during the discussion. The format feels natural, including stories, jokes, and disagreements. Running focus groups is fairly easy and not too expensive. They usually take less time than one-on-one interviews. This means more people can be included, saving time and money, and giving quick results. Focus groups are very helpful for figuring out what people need and for checking how well projects are doing. A focus group discussion can create new ideas that can't be found in other ways. You can also hear the words people actually use. New and interesting ideas come out. Even sensitive topics can be discussed, leading to personal sharing. The leader keeps the discussion balanced so no one person takes over. This makes the group more fair. Body language helps the leader make decisions and adds to the research, giving rich information. Things that were not noticed before can come to the researcher's attention.
Challenges and Criticisms
Even with their benefits, focus groups have some limits. It's hard to control all the factors in a focus group. The information collected can be tricky to analyze. Discussions must be recorded, notes taken, and comments written down exactly. This increases the chance of mistakes. The method needs leaders who are well-trained. Groups can be very different, and it might be hard to put together the right group. The discussion needs to happen in a place that feels good for talking. There's also a risk that leaders might ask questions that push people to give certain answers. This can make the results biased. The leader's skill is very important, as the group relies on their help to get results. So, skilled leaders are needed. There's a risk that a leader could take over the discussion. Results might be biased if one or two people talk too much. It can be hard to make sure the group truly represents a larger population. What is learned from the group might not apply to everyone, because participants choose to be there. The leader might influence how the group talks, which could change the results. How much participants get involved and share is very important. Problems can come up if topics are controversial, leading to arguments. Dealing with sensitive topics is a challenge. An unnatural setting might affect how people interact, leading to biased answers. There can be privacy concerns about what is shared.
One main problem with focus groups is "observer dependency." This means the results are affected by the researcher's own views or how they understand the discussion. This can make the research less reliable. Focus groups are sometimes seen as "one-time studies" unless they are repeated. They can also have issues with how well their findings apply to the real world. Other common criticisms include groupthink (where people agree to avoid conflict) and social desirability bias (where people say what they think sounds good).
Another issue is the setting of the focus group. If it's in a lab with a professor as a leader and obvious recording devices, participants might hold back. Or they might try to give answers they think the leader wants to hear. Also, with many participants, privacy cannot be fully guaranteed.
Douglas Rushkoff said that focus groups are often not useful and can cause more problems than they solve. He felt that focus groups sometimes try to please those paying for them, instead of giving honest opinions. This means information might be picked to support an idea that was already decided. Rushkoff used the failed launch of New Coke in the 1980s as an example of bad focus group design.
Jonathan Ive, a top designer at Apple, said that Apple found a good reason not to use focus groups. He believed they "just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products."
Fun Activities in Focus Groups
Sometimes, creative activities are used along with talking. These can include:
- Free listings – Participants list everything they can think of about a topic.
- Rating – Participants rate items on a scale, using numbers or words.
- Ranking – Participants put items in order of importance or compare them in pairs.
- Pile sorting – Participants sort cards into piles based on how similar they are.
- Picture sort – Participants look through pictures to find ones that match a certain idea or category.
- Magic tools and fantasy – The leader might pass around a "magical" tool. Each person shares a fantasy or idea about the topic.
- Storytelling – Participants create a story about the topic. This helps others think about solutions or shows how people feel.
- Role-playing – Participants act out how they would behave in a situation or solve a problem.
- Sentence completion – Participants finish sentences about a topic and share them with the group.
- Collage – The leader gives a theme and materials. Participants work in small groups to create a collage using pictures, drawings, and words.
See also
In Spanish: Grupo focal para niños
