CITI Research Methods Practice Test

Qualitative research is primarily concerned with exploring and understanding the meanings, concepts, characteristics, and experiences of individuals from their own perspectives. It emphasizes the subjective nature of human experience and seeks to capture the complexities of social phenomena. This type of research often involves methods such as interviews, focus groups, and observations, allowing the researcher to delve deep into participants' thoughts, feelings, and lived experiences.

The emphasis on understanding participants' experiences and perspectives highlights the qualitative approach's strength in providing rich, narrative data that can reveal insights not easily captured through quantitative methods. This depth of understanding is critical in fields such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology, where the nuances of human experience play a vital role in research outcomes.

In contrast, the other options describe methodologies that align more with quantitative research approaches, which aim at measuring and quantifying variables, typically through larger sample sizes and statistical analysis. These methodologies do not prioritize the subjective insights that qualitative research seeks to uncover.