Focus groups
Why have feminists argued that focus groups successfully avoid “decontextualizing” their participants?
Because they study the individual as part of a social context
Because they tend to be carried out by female researchers
Because moderating a focus group demands great technical knowledge
Because the data tends to be analysed using post-structuralist theories
Because they study the individual as part of a social context
The focus group method has been seen to be compatible with a feminist sensitivity for various reasons. One of these is that this technique recognizes the participants as individuals who are part of a wider social network, rather than abstracting the “respondent” as an object of study. Obviously the focus group meeting is a contrived setting for discussion, even with “natural” groups, but its great advantage is that the individual is seen as operating within a social context, so the study is of the social construction of the self, preferred by many feminist researchers (see Wilkinson 1999, cited p506).
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 520
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 520
Because they study the individual as part of a social context The focus group method has been seen to be compatible with a feminist sensitivity for various reasons. One of these is that this technique recognizes the participants as individuals who are part of a wider social network, rather than abstracting the “respondent” as an object of study. Obviously the focus group meeting is a contrived setting for discussion, even with “natural” groups, but its great advantage is that the individual is seen as operating within a social context, so the study is of the social construction of the self, preferred by many feminist researchers (see Wilkinson 1999, cited p506).
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 520
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 520
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What is the role of the moderator in a focus group?A. To stimulate discussion and keep the conversation on track
B. To ask leading questions and dominate the discussion
C. To sit away from the group and observe their behaviour
D. To evaluate the group’s performance on a particular task
When might it be useful to conduct a relatively large number of focus groups?
A. When participants’ views are likely to be affected by socio-demographic factors
B. When you want to capture as much diversity in perspectives as possible
C. When there are lots of willing volunteers who meet the relevant criteria
D. All of the above
What should the moderator say in their introductory remarks?
A. Thank you to the participants for coming
B. Who they are and what the research is about
C. How the focus group will proceed
D. All of the above
Why is it particularly difficult to get an accurate record and transcript of a focus group session?
A. Because the researcher often forgets to take notes
B. Because focus groups are transcribed several years after they are conducted
C. Because you cannot use a tape recorder in a focus group
D. Because there are so many different voices to follow
What is the main difference between a focus group and a group interview?
A. Group interviews involve fewer participants
B. Focus groups are used to study the way people discuss a specific topic
C. There is no moderator present in a focus group
D. Focus groups save more time and money
How have focus groups been used in media and cultural studies?
A. To plan champagne receptions
B. To investigate birth and conception
C. To explore audience reception
D. To measure TV reception
What are the two main forms of group interaction that Kitzinger identifies in focus group sessions?
A. Altruistic and aggressive
B. Complementary and argumentative
C. Conventional and alternative
D. Passive and assertive
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