Qualitative Research – IB Psychology Standard Level Revision

Understanding Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is a type of research methodology focused on understanding subjective interpretations and phenomena.
Main emphasis is placed on the individual’s or group’s perspective, experiences, interpretations, and understanding of an issue or phenomenon.
Data collected in qualitative research is generally non-numerical and rich in detail.

Main Methods of Qualitative Research

Interviews: allows deep exploration of an individual’s experiences and perceptions. These could be structured, semi-structured or unstructured.
Observations: participant or non-participant, where behaviours and interactions are observed in natural settings.
Case studies: a detailed investigation of an individual, group, event or community over a period of time.
Focus groups: a group of people are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes towards a particular topic.
Document analysis or textual analysis: analysis of forms of written documents or pieces of text.

Strengths of Qualitative Research

Provides depth and detail of information, understanding the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of behaviour.
Supports the research of dynamic, complex and nuanced phenomena.
Supports the emergence of new theories and hypotheses.
Powerful tool for exploring subjective experiences and individual perspectives.

Limitations of Qualitative Research

Data analysis can be time-consuming and complex.
Less able to make generalisations due to typically smaller sample sizes.
Vulnerability to researcher bias.
May lack replicability due to the subjective and interpretative nature of the research.

Key Ethical Issues