Question 1

Patrick wants to learn more about how older Canadians at retirement facilities use social media to talk about grief. Since his participants already know each other and are all located in the same place, he decides that it is the perfect opportunity to use ________. Patrick will organize groups of men and women to conduct in-depth interviewing in a moderated group discussion. Patrick will use the content of the conversation as data, as well as to analyze the interactions among participants.

Accepted Answer

Focus groups are the most suitable method for Patrick's research because they involve in-depth interviewing in a moderated group discussion, allowing for the analysis of both the content of the conversation and the interactions among participants. This method is ideal for exploring how a specific group of people, such as older Canadians at retirement facilities, use social media to talk about grief in a communal setting.

Question 2

The main difference between focus groups and in-depth interviews is ________.

Accepted Answer

Focus groups are characterized by the use of a moderator to facilitate discussion among a group of participants, whereas in-depth interviews are conducted on a one-on-one basis, allowing for a deep dive into individual perspectives and experiences.

Question 3

The textbook author's discussion of conducting focus groups on how students felt about the implementation of a new curriculum demonstrates that focus groups can help us ________.

Accepted Answer

Focus groups are qualitative research methods designed to gather insights into participants' thoughts, feelings, and discussions on a specific topic, rather than predicting specific outcomes like grades or future achievements, or providing a step-by-step guide for implementation.

Question 4

Raj has just completed his focus group study of team dynamics amongst university athletes and is trying to make sense of the data. His focus groups each included six athletes-a basketball player, a field hockey player, a golfer, a diver, a soccer player, and a gymnast. During the data collection, Raj had difficulty moderating the conversation and found that conversation was minimal even after asking probing questions. In this case, sparking spontaneous, rich group conversation was likely difficult because ________.

Accepted Answer

The difficulty in sparking spontaneous, rich group conversation in Raj's focus group study likely stemmed from the fact that the recruited participants did not share enough common characteristics. The diversity in sports might have led to a lack of common ground, making it challenging for participants to engage deeply with each other's experiences.

Question 5

An important strength of talking circles is ________.

Accepted Answer

Talking circles ensure that each participant has an equal opportunity to speak, preventing domination by assertive individuals.

Question 6

David L. Morgan calls ________ the "Achilles heel" of focus groups because if the members of each group are not compatible, there will not be a rich discussion.

Accepted Answer

David L. Morgan refers to poor recruiting as the "Achilles heel" of focus groups, emphasizing the importance of selecting compatible group members to ensure a rich discussion.

Question 7

Some focus group researchers have separate groups for men and women because ________.

Accepted Answer

Men tend to dominate in mixed-gender groups, which can skew the data and make it difficult to get balanced feedback from both genders.

Question 8

When Beverly Holbrook and Peter Jackson failed to recruit participants for a focus group using a traditional marketing-research method that involves calling potential participants, they ________.

Accepted Answer

They adapted their recruitment strategy to meet potential participants in their natural social settings, making it easier to engage with them.

Question 9

Focus group interview guides should include transitional questions or statements. An example of a transitional question is ________.

Accepted Answer

Transitional questions or statements are used to smoothly shift the discussion from one topic to another. Option B, "Changing subjects, let's talk about . . .", directly indicates a change in topic, making it a clear example of a transitional question.

Question 10

The ________ is the individual who facilitates focus groups. This person guides the group with as little intervention as possible while maintaining the group's focus.

Accepted Answer

The moderator is the correct term for the individual who facilitates focus groups, guiding the discussion with minimal intervention to maintain focus.

Question 11

The best space to hold a focus group is ________.

Accepted Answer

A seminar room with an oval table is ideal for focus groups because it encourages open communication and interaction among participants, which is essential for gathering qualitative data.

Question 12

The author makes all of the following logistical suggestions for advance planning, except ________.

Accepted Answer

The author suggests considering microphone placement, arriving early, and ensuring comfortable seating as part of logistical planning for a focus group. There is no mention of avoiding refreshments as a suggestion, making it the correct choice for an exception.

Question 13

Hydén and Bülow suggest that the moderator encourage people to talk as though they were ________ to establish an informal, open atmosphere in which all the participants feel comfortable participating and freely expressing their opinions.

Accepted Answer

Hydén and Bülow suggest that the moderator encourage people to talk as though they were on a coffee break to establish an informal, open atmosphere, as this setting is typically relaxed and conducive to free expression.

Question 14

Gillian is conducting a focus group with Canadian expats teaching English as a second language in Korea. During the session, Gillian notices that her participants really start to work together as a team to describe how feelings of homesickness are alleviated by involvement in expat potluck dinners organized by a local community group. She notices the participants have become interactive and productive and start to really value each other's points of view. Her participants even came up with a new idea for how to make these potluck dinners more inclusive and recognized they were using the dinners as a way to bridge their new and old cultures. Gillian was impressed that she didn't have to say much at all to keep the conversation going. According to Litosseliti, Gillian experiencing the ________ of the focus group.

Accepted Answer

The description aligns with the norming and performing stages of group development, where the group becomes cohesive (norming) and effectively works towards a goal (performing).

Question 15

According to Hollander, when analyzing focus group data, it is important to remember that the attitudes and opinions expressed by participants are ________ through interaction.

Accepted Answer

Hollander emphasizes that in focus groups, the attitudes and opinions shared by participants are socially constructed, meaning they are shaped through the interactions and discussions within the group. This perspective highlights the dynamic and interactive nature of focus group data.

Question 16

Jenny Kitzenger's focus-group study on the effect of media messages about AIDS involved a careful analysis of participants' interactions. Based on her experience, Kitzenger suggests that researchers include ________ in their data analysis for different types of interaction.

Accepted Answer

Codes are used to categorize and analyze data, and Kitzenger suggests that researchers include them in their data analysis for different types of interaction.

Question 17

When the textbook author and her partner were analyzing the focus-group transcripts from their study of the equality of women and men in the Bahá'í Community of Canada, they noticed that the discussions tended to have a ________ that was consistent across groups. This sociological term refers to the stages a social group passes through.

Accepted Answer

The correct term is "career," which in sociology refers to the stages or phases that a social group or phenomenon passes through over time. This concept is used to analyze the development and progression of groups, including their experiences, changes, and the stages they undergo.

Question 18

Talking circles have a sacred meaning for many Indigenous communities. They originated among the Woodland Tribes in the Midwest, where they were used as a ________.

Accepted Answer

Talking circles have a sacred meaning in many Indigenous communities and are rooted in traditions that predate Western parliamentary procedures. They were used among the Woodland Tribes in the Midwest as a form of governance and decision-making, embodying principles similar to those found in parliamentary procedures, such as collective discussion, consensus-building, and respectful listening.

Question 19

Salim is in the planning stages of his research project on healing rituals in northern communities. Prior to conducting his research, he starts to have informal conversations with members of the community to discuss which cultural symbols will be used in their group interviews, to gain perspectives about how they can establish the ground rules associated with this symbolism, and to decide on how to guide the discussion. In his study, Salim's research technique is most likely ________.

Accepted Answer

Salim's approach of having informal conversations with community members to discuss cultural symbols, establish ground rules, and guide discussions aligns with the methodology of a talking circle. Talking circles are a traditional way for many Indigenous communities to discuss issues in an inclusive and respectful manner, focusing on listening and sharing perspectives.

Question 20

________ among focus group members is more complicated than in in-depth interviews, where the interviewer promises not to divulge any information that would connect the participant to the research.

Accepted Answer

Confidentiality among focus group members is more complicated because the dynamic of the group setting makes it harder to control information flow and ensure that participants do not share what others say outside the group, unlike in in-depth interviews where the interviewer can more easily guarantee confidentiality.

Quiz 7: Focus Groups