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A Focus Group Discussion (FGD) is a qualitative research method that involves a small group of participants discussing a specific topic, guided by a moderator, to gain insights into their thoughts and behaviors. FGDs are beneficial for exploring social interactions and multiple perspectives, and they have applications in social research, marketing, and politics. While they offer advantages like genuine responses and cost-effectiveness, they also have drawbacks such as potential groupthink and challenges in generalizing results.

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33 views3 pages

Document (Research

A Focus Group Discussion (FGD) is a qualitative research method that involves a small group of participants discussing a specific topic, guided by a moderator, to gain insights into their thoughts and behaviors. FGDs are beneficial for exploring social interactions and multiple perspectives, and they have applications in social research, marketing, and politics. While they offer advantages like genuine responses and cost-effectiveness, they also have drawbacks such as potential groupthink and challenges in generalizing results.

Uploaded by

maharhaseeb7172
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Focus group discussion

What is a Focus Group Discussion (FGD)?

A qualitative research method used to understand people’s thoughts, feelings, and


behaviors.

Also called group interviewing.

Involves a small group (6–12 people) discussing a topic, guided by a moderator.

Useful for studying issues that involve social interaction and multiple perspectives.

Key Features of FGDs

1. Small groups of participants with something in common.


2. Guided discussion on a focused topic.
3. Moderated to encourage sharing and keep the conversation on track.
4. Combines interviewing and observation.
5. Helps researchers get deep, rich information.

Role of the Researcher

• Acts more as a participant than an observer.


• Needs good listening, interpretation, and communication skills.
• Should be able to notice non-verbal cues and deeper meanings.

Role of the Moderator

• Leads the discussion, either:


• Structured (with a set list of questions), or
• Unstructured (free-flowing discussion).
• Makes sure everyone participates and stays on topic.

When to Use Individual Interviews

• Topic is complex or personal.


• Need to maintain privacy/confidentiality.
• Participants feel more comfortable alone.

When to Use Group Interviews

• Want to see how people interact and influence each other.


• Topic is abstract (like opinions or beliefs).
• Some participants may feel shy one-on-one but open up in a group.
History of Focus Groups

• Started in the 1920s (to help with surveys).


• Used in 1940s to study reactions to wartime media.
• Became popular in market research (1970s–1980s).
• Now widely used in social sciences, marketing, and politics.

Steps in Conducting an FGD

1. Define the problem


2. Set goals/objectives
3. Make questions or hypotheses
4. Choose your participants
5. Decide number of groups needed
6. Organize logistics (time/place)
7. Prepare materials
8. Pilot test
9. Conduct the discussion
10. Analyze data
11. Write report

Advantages of FGDs

• Less researcher control = more genuine responses.


• See how people interact and build ideas together.
• Participants can guide the conversation.
• Can give marginalized groups a voice.
• Cheaper and quicker than individual interviews.
• Good for studying attitudes and beliefs.

Disadvantages of FGDs

• Some people may dominate the talk; others stay quiet.


• Group pressure can lead to “groupthink”.
• Hard to generalize results.
• Not always suitable for sensitive topics.
• May require skilled facilitators.
• Problems with logistics (attendance, comfort levels).

Uses of FGDs

• Social research (public services, education, etc.)


• Marketing (test ads, product ideas)
• Politics (voter opinions)
• Academic fields like sociology, psychology, communication

More Specific Uses

• To explore or define a research problem


• To generate new ideas or hypotheses
• To understand what people need or want
• To create survey questions
• To explore attitudes about change
• To go deeper into findings from other research

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