What is a major characteristic of qualitative research methods?

Qualitative research methods are primarily characterized by an emphasis on understanding participants' perspectives. This approach seeks to explore the meanings, experiences, and social contexts of individuals, which allows researchers to gain deep insights into how people interpret their lives and surroundings. By engaging with participants through interviews, focus groups, or ethnographic studies, qualitative research captures rich, narrative data that reveals the complexities of human behavior and social phenomena.

This focus on understanding individuals’ subjective experiences distinguishes qualitative research from other methods that rely heavily on numerical data or statistical analysis, which typically prioritize quantifiable metrics over detailed personal insights. Additionally, qualitative methods do not primarily use controlled experiments as these focus on manipulating variables to determine causal relationships, rather than exploring the lived experiences of participants in their natural environments.