Group interviews, also called focus groups, are a form of semi-structured interview where a moderator facilitates discussion about a particular topic with two or more participants. You might choose to use a group interview in your research when you are gathering data about a new area, an experience that is hard to observe, a sensitive topic, or the perspectives of marginalized groups (Cohen & Crabtree, 2006). Group interviews can be a valuable way to hear the opinions of people who are hesitant to be interviewed one-on-one, or who feel as if their opinions are not important. They are often used to quickly generate a lot of information about a certain topic in order to work towards a hypothesis (Gundumogula, 2020).
For Example…
Prior research has identified the existence of climate anxiety, the “negative feelings about climate change [that] can cause psychological distress” (Thompson, 2021). Since there is already preliminary research on the topic, a research question attempting to contribute new information might highlight the psychological effects of climate anxiety. Group interviews may be useful in this case since the phenomenon is hard to observe and one that people may hesitate to talk about individually. This type of interview would be especially effective for a research question such as, “How does climate anxiety change people’s behavior related to the environment?” The researcher may ask the participants in the group interview questions such as “Have you changed your behavior due to worries about the climate? If so, how?” or “What strategies do you use to cope with worries about climate change?”
Unlike one-on-one interviews, group interviews allow and even encourage participants to interact and influence each other during discussion. This format of interview is also helpful when researchers want to observe nonverbal communication and body language, since the interviewee can observe how participants react to others in the group. This means it is important to consider how power dynamics may influence how willing your participants are to fully share their thoughts in a focus group. If you are researching safety conditions at work, for example, you might not want to include employees and their supervisors in the same focus group, as employees may be uncomfortable voicing concerns in front of their managers.
Ideally, group interviews consist of 6-12 participants with a common characteristic. This variable could be something like age, occupation, or use of a certain service, such as parents who use childcare services. Participants should be drawn from the sample you are interested in so that the data you collect in the group interview benefits the rest of your research (Avineri, 2017). While participants should have something in common that is of interest to your research, they should also have enough variation that they express different opinions and allow you to approach the topic from different angles (Krueger & Casey, 2014).
Next you need to find an appropriate space for the group to meet. This space should be neutral, comfortable, and accessible. You also need a moderator for the group, a role which you should take on yourself only if you are comfortable. The moderator should be able to facilitate discussion without being controlling and be knowledgeable of the topic. A question guide should also be prepared prior to the group interview. You can learn more about making a question guide here.
When asking questions in a group interview, allow space for all participants to speak. Researchers have also found that when people work in groups, they tend to not work as hard. This phenomenon, known as “social loafing,” may also occur during group interviews. To avoid this, the moderator can direct questions to specific participants who haven’t spoken and repeatedly encourage everyone to participate.
To see a group interview in action and get some tips on moderating techniques, you can watch this video titled “Moderating Focus Groups” by Richard Krueger, or read his overview on designing and conducting group interviews.
Recording the group interview
Recording of group interviews should ideally be done by hand with the use of a recording device. Written notes should capture all points of view expressed during the interview, but should not be a word-for-word transcript. These notes should also include observations about the discussion. For example, you might note if a certain question made participants uncomfortable, or if a certain participant was especially talkative or quiet. It is also important to jot down any demographic information that might be relevant to your study.
For group interviews, it is often helpful to use a video recording strategy so that there is no confusion about who said what. For more information about written notes, video recording, and audio recording, take a look at our Recording the Data section. In your analysis of the data, be sure to take into account not only what was said, but also the accompanying group interaction and nonverbal cues.
Ethics check!
The researcher must pay particular attention to ethics within group interviews because people may disclose potentially sensitive information to a larger group of people. Participants should be fully information about how their contributions will be used prior to the interview process. Additionally, participants should be told that they must keep what they hear in the group interview confidential and you, as the researcher, should keep the data anonymous (Gibbs, 1997).
How many group interviews do you need to conduct? While there is no magic number to answer this question, if you find yourself able to anticipate what will be said next, you have probably gathered enough data.
Personal Project
Consider your own research question or research interests for a moment. Which type of interview seems like it would work best? Take into account the purpose of your research, your strengths as an interviewer, and any external limitations to your study. Consider whether your own research would benefit from having group interaction during the interview process. Assess your own skills as a moderator and if this is a role you would be willing and able to take on.
