Abstract
The focus group (FG) technique has been recently rediscovered by social scientists. It has become the subject of important methodological discussions and it is now considered a very innovative research method. However, such a widespread use of FG seems to have become a fashionable research technique. The impression is that FG is often adopted without any prior consideration of whether it really is the most suitable research technique for achieving the cognitive goals of the research. At the same time, it seems that the FG is often adopted only because it is considered an easy-to-organise and inexpensive technique. The goal of this paper is to evaluate the nature of the FG, analyse its advantages and disadvantages and identify the cognitive problems that it helps to face. In order to discuss these two points, I will focus on the two main characteristics that differentiate the FG from other techniques of information gathering in social research. Firstly, in FGs the informative source is a group. Secondly, the heuristic value of this technique lies in the kind of interaction that emerges during the debate. Several researchers have indicated these two aspects as the main characteristics of FG; but only few authors have translated these comments into serious epistemological and methodological knowledge, thus allowing the FG to give its best results.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Acocella I.: Il focus group: teoria e tecnica. Franco Angeli, Milano (2008)
Allen V.L.: Situation factors in conformity. In: Berkowitz, L. (eds) Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, vol. 2, pp. 133–175. Academic Press, New York (1965)
Allen V.L., Levine J.M.: Consensus and conformity. J. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 5(4), 389–399 (1969)
Aronson E., Wilson T.D., Akert R.M.: Social Psychology. Longman, Reading (1997)
Bailey K.D.: Methods in Social Research. Free Press, New York (1982)
Banaka W.H.: Training in Depth Interviewing. Harper and Row, New York (1971)
Bertrand J.T., Brown J.E., Ward M.V.: Techniques for analyzing focus group data. Eval. Rev. 16(2), 198–209 (1992)
Bickman L.: The social power of a uniform. J. Appl. Soc. Psychol. 4, 47–61 (1974)
Bloor M., Frankland J., Thomas M., Robson K.: Focus Group in Social Research. Sage, London (2001)
Bradburn N.M.: Potential contribution of cognitive science to survey questionnaire design. Surv. Methods Newsl. 2, 7–10 (1984)
Bright J.O., Bright W.: Semantic structures in northwestern California and the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis. Am. Anthropol. 67(5), 249–258 (1965)
Bristol T., Fern E.F.: The effects of interaction on consumers’ attitudes in focus groups. Psychol. Mark. 20(5), 433–454 (2003)
Cannell C.F., Miller P.V., Oksenberg L.: Research on interview techniques. In: Leinhardt, S. (eds) Sociological Methodology, pp. 389–437. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco (1981)
Cote-Arsenault D., Morrison B.D.: Practical advice for planning and conducting focus group. Nurs. Res. 48(5), 280–283 (1999)
Fern E.F.: The use of focus groups for idea generation: the effects of group size, acquaintanceship, and moderator on response quantity and quality. J. Mark. Res. 19, 1–13 (1982)
Frey J.H., Fontana A.: The group interview in social research. In: Morgan, D.L. (eds) Successful Focus Group. Advancing the State of the Art, pp. 20–34. Sage, Newbury Park (1993)
Gigone D., Hastie R.: The common knowledge effect: information sharing and group judgment. J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 65(5), 959–974 (1993)
Greenbaum T.L.: The Handbook for Focus Group Research. D.C. Health and Company, Lexington (1988)
Hisrich R.D., Peters M.P.: Focus group: an innovative marketing research technique. Hosp. Health Serv. Adm. 27(4), 8–21 (1982)
Jaspars, J., Fraser, C.: Atteggiamenti e rappresentazioni sociali. In: Farr, R.M., Moscovici, F. (a cura di) Rappresentazioni sociali, pp. 129–152. Il Mulino, Bologna (1989)
Kitzinger J., Barbour R.S.: Introduction: the challenge and promise of focus groups. In: Barbour, R.S., Kitzinger, J. (eds) Developing Focus Group Research. Politics, Theory and Practice, pp. 1–20. Sage, London (2001)
Kravitz D., Martin A.B.: Ringlemann rediscovered: the original article. J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 50(5), 936–941 (1986)
Krueger R.A.: Focus Group. A Practical Guide for Applied Research. Sage, Newbury Park (1994)
Krueger R.A.: Developing questions for focus groups. In: Morgan, D.L., Krueger, R.A. (eds) Focus Group Kit, vol. 3, Sage, London (1998)
Latané B., Williams K., Harkins S.: Many hands make light work: the causes and consequences of social loafing. J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 37(6), 822–832 (1979)
Marbach G.: Le ricerche di mercato. UTET, Torino (1982)
Marradi A.: Teoria: una tipologia dei significati. Sociol. Ric. Soc. 5(13), 157–181 (1984)
Marradi A.: Referti, pensiero e linguaggio: una questione rilevante per gli indicatori. Sociol. Ric. Soc. 15(43), 137–207 (1994)
Mckennell A.C.: Surveying attitude structures: a discussion of principles and procedures. Qual. Quant. 7(2), 203–294 (1974)
Merton R.K.: Social Theory and Social Structure. Free Press, Glencoe (1957)
Merton R.K., Kendall P.L.: The focused interview. Am. J. Sociol. 51(6), 541–557 (1946)
Morgan D.L.: Focus Groups as Qualitative Research. Sage, London (1988)
Morgan D.L., Spanish M.T.: Focus group: a new tool for qualitative research. Qual. Sociol. 7(3), 253–270 (1984)
Morrison D.E.: The Search for a Method. University of Luton Press, Luton (1998)
Moser C., Kalton G.: Survey Methods in Social Investigation. Heineman, London (1977)
Munday J.: Identity in focus: the use of focus groups to study the costruction of collective identity. Sociology 40(1), 89–105 (2006)
Nemeth C., Wachtler J.: Creative problem solving as a result of majority versus minority influence. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol. 13(1), 45–55 (1983)
Puchta C.: Focus Group Practice. Sage, London (2005)
Stasser G., Stewart D.D., Wittenbaum G.M.: Expert roles and information exchange during discussion: the importance of knowing who knows what. J. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 31(3), 244–265 (1995)
Stewart D.W., Shamdasani P.N.: Focus Group. Theory and Practice. Sage, Newbury Park (1990)
Stokes D., Bergin R.: Methodology or “methodolatry”? An evaluation of focus groups and depth interviews. Qual. Mark. Res. 9(1), 26–37 (2006)
Tourangeau R., Rips L.J., Rasinki K.: The Psychology of Survey Response. Cambridge University Press, New York (2000)
Vaughn S., Schumm J.S., Sinagub J.: Focus Group Interviews in Education and Psychology. Sage, London (1996)
Wetherell M.: Social identity and group polarization. In: Turner, J.C., Hogg, M.A., Cakes, P.J., Reicher, S.D., Wetherell, M.S. (eds) Rediscovering the Social Group: a Self-Categorization Theory., pp. 142–170. Blackwell, Oxford (1987)
Wittenbaum G.W., Stasser G.: Management of information in small groups. In: Nye, J.L., Brower, A.M. (eds) What’s Social About Social Cognition? Social Cognition Research in Small Groups, pp. 3–28. Sage, Newbury Park (1996)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Acocella, I. The focus groups in social research: advantages and disadvantages. Qual Quant 46, 1125–1136 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-011-9600-4
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-011-9600-4