Qualitative Research Exam

Qualitative Research

Understanding peoples meanings, experiences, and social processes

Emic

Focuses on understanding behavior from the participants own cultural perspective (inside view)

Etic

Explaining behavior using academic theories and concepts (outside view)

Structured, Semi-Structured, Unstructured

What are the interview types?

Structured Interview

Same questions, same order, no flexibility

Semi Structured Interview

Guiding questions, can ask follow ups, flexible but organized

Unstructured Interview

No fixed questions, participant leads, deep and detailed

Complete Observer

Researcher only watches and never joins Ex: security camera

shallow understanding

What is the con of being a complete observer?

Observer as participant

Researcher mostly watches and joins a little

Ex: Classroom observation, visitor

Participant as observer

Researcher joins group and everyone knows they are a researcher

Ex: Runner studying running groups while running with them

Complete Participant

Researcher fully joins group without saying they are researching

Ex: Secret shopper, undercover journalist

Ethical problem

What is a con of being a complete participant?

Thick description

Describing what happened and the meaning why behind it

Thin description

Describing what you see (observable facts) without explaining why

Content Analysis

Research method used to study texts, images, or media to find patterns, themes, or meaning

Content Analysis

Studying content without interacting with peopole

Select, define, categorize, code, identify, interpret (so do cats carry items inside)

What are the 6 steps of content analysis?

Case study

In depth analysis of a case to understand complexity

Ethnography

Long term immersion in a community to understand daily practices and meanings from an insider perspective

Netnography

Studying and observing online communities long term to understand digital practices and meanings

Inductive approach

This approach starts with data and then develops a theory by identifying patterns and themes

Deductive approach

This approach starts with a theory/hypothesis and tests it using collected data

Inductive approach

data -> theory

Deductive approach

theory -> data

Thematic analysis

The process of examining data, finding patterns, grouping them, and explaining what they mean

Thematic analysis

A process you use when you have flexible interviews to explore/understand what people are thinking

Reflexivity

Researchers awareness of how their background and assumptions influence the research

Focus group

A guided discussion where participants interact to share experiences and views

Triangulation

The use of more than one method to study the same thing to make findings stronger

Data triangulation

The use of different data sources (different people, times, or places)

Investigator triangulation

More than one researcher analyzing the same data

Methodological triangulation

Use of different methods in one analysis (interviews, observations, and surveys)

Data, investigator, methodological

What are the 3 types of triangulation?

Coding

The process of labeling parts of qualitative data to organize and understand meaning

Open coding

Reading data and naming what you see -- What is this about?

Axial coding

Taking open codes and connecting them into bigger ideas -- How are these related?

Hawthorne Effect

When participants change their behavior because they know they are being observed

Distort results/unatural

Why does the Hawthorne effect matter in research

Informants

People inside a group who help the researcher understand what is going on

Insider

Informant = ?

Easy to compare, reliable, less bias

Structured interviews - Strengths

Little depth, no flexibility

Structured interviews - Weaknesses

Depth and flexible, rich data

Semi structured interviews - Strengths

Time consuming, messy data

Semi structured interviews - Weaknesses

Rich data, unexpected insights

Unstructured interviews- Strengths

Hard to analyze, off topic risk

Unstructured interviews- Weaknesses

Shared meanings and norms

Focus group - Strengths

Dominant voices, sensitive topics harder

Focus group - Weaknesses

Minimal influence on behavior

Complete Observer - Strengths

Limited understanding

Complete Observer - Weaknesses

Balance of distance and engagement

Observer-as-Participant - Strengths

Risk of misinterpretation

Observer-as-Participant - Weaknesses

Strong insight

Participant-as-Observer - Strengths

Hard to balance roles

Participant-as-Observer - Weaknesses

Insider knowledge

Complete Participant - Strengths

Bias and ethical issues

Complete Participant - Weaknesses

easier analysis, less depth

in interviews, more structure =

richer insight, more bias

in interviews, more involvement = ?

Herzog - Holocaust Memory

A study using in-depth, unstructured interviews and insider narratives to show that memory of historical trauma is personal and socially shaped.

Pennington - Digital Detox

A study using semi-structured interviews to explore technostress and show that reducing technology use improves mental well-being.

Fitzimmons - Friends & Millennials

A focus group study showing that shared media nostalgia creates social bonds and emotional comfort among millennials.

Slater - "Uncool to Do Sport"

A focus group study with adolescent girls showing how peer judgment and definitions of "cool" influence participation in sports.

Doctors for Truth

A qualitative content analysis of a Facebook community showing how echo chambers and authority bias reinforce shared beliefs.

Shoufan - ChatGPT Perceptions

A thematic analysis of open-ended responses revealing mixed attitudes toward ChatGPT, including curiosity, skepticism, and excitement.

Experiences During the October 7 War

A thematic analysis of personal narratives during a national crisis identifying fear, resilience, and community solidarity.

Becker - Becoming a Marijuana User

A study showing that becoming a marijuana user involves socially learning how to use, perceive, and enjoy the drug.

Lev - Becoming a Long-Distance Runner

A long-term ethnographic study showing that runners learn to interpret and eventually enjoy pain through group participation.

Netnography - Reclaiming Neurodiverse Identity

A netnographic study showing how online communities help neurodivergent individuals shift from a medical to a social model of identity.