Qualitative Data

Question 1

What is qualitative research?

Answer 1

An approach to data collection that explores the world of the participant via their experiences.
It explores behaviour by asking people what they do or how they feel.

Question 2

What are some criticisms of qualitative research?

Answer 2

• It is subjective and influenced too much by personal bias
• Doesn’t represent the population
• Cannot be replicated
• Is not systematic

Question 3

What are 4 ways in which data can be collected?

Answer 3

Observations
Interviews
Focus Groups
Questionnaires

Question 4

What can be some characteristics of an interview?

Answer 4

Structured/semi-structured
Open/closed questions
Prompt PPs when necessary 
Use simple language
Engage in active listening

Question 5

What can be some features of focus groups?

Answer 5

Use open ended questions
Researchers may deviate from schedule of Qs
PPs tend to conform and not answer truthfully
PPs may benefit from group dynamic

Question 6

What are some differences between quantitative and qualitative data?

Answer 6

Objective vs. Reflexive
Focus on generalising vs. Focus on case studies
Test theories using hypotheses vs. Develop themes and create theory
Controlled experiments vs. Open questions
Deductive vs. Inductive
Uses numbers vs. Uses words

Question 7

What is Content Analysis?

Answer 7

Combines quantitative and qualitative
Extract common themes from an open question and count how many are found
These themes can be based on pre-defined topic areas (deductive themes) or they can emerge from the data (inductive themes)

Question 8

What are the steps of Content Analysis?

Answer 8

Phase 1: familiarise yourself with the data
Phase 2: generate initial codes, decide on topics that fit with the data
Phase 3: search for themes, group topics under themes
Phase 4: Review themes
Phase 5: Count frequency that each theme is mentioned
Phase 6: Inter-rater reliability check
Phase 7: Produce the report

Question 9

How would you report the results of a Content Analysis?

Answer 9

Out of __ respondents, __% mentioned [Theme 1] as a reason for _____ and __% said they ____ (see Table 1.). Some of the reasons given for ____ were that [Theme 2] (__%), for example “____________” , or that [Theme 3] (__%).

Question 10

What is a Thematic Analysis?

Answer 10

Described as the underlying method for all forms of qualitative analysis
Aims to identify themes in data

Question 11

What are the stages of Thematic Analysis?

Answer 11

Phase 1: familiarise yourself with the data
Phase 2: generate initial codes - coding may be deductive (e.g. stigma, attitudes) or inductive
Phase 3: search for themes
Phase 4: review the themes
Phase 5: define and name the themes
Phase 6: produce the report

Question 12

What are limitations of qualitative data?

Answer 12

• Is the experience of 1 person enough?
• Huge amounts of data to process
• Researcher bias

Question 13

What are limitations of quantitative data?

Answer 13

• Sample may not represent the population
• Can psychological phenomena be reduced to numbers?
• Researcher bias