Focus groups were first used at Columbia University in the 1940s. Early groups were used to study things such as U.S. troop morale following World War II. Private businesses were early adopters of focus groups, having used them since the 1950s to better understand consumer behavior and preferences. In the 1980s and 1990s, social scientists recognized the benefits of focus groups as a qualitative method.
A chief benefit of focus groups is that interactions among its members become an important source of information. Participants can disagree with each other, ask each other questions and formulate new ideas. Focus groups also are useful when study participants have trouble reading or writing, and helpful when perceived power dynamics or the sensitivity of a topic would interfere with responses in a one-on-one interview.
Focus groups have some drawbacks: Group dynamics and strong group norms can silence those who disagree with the dominant opinion. Focus groups with 10 or more participants can be difficult to manage, and individuals may not explore their opinions in much detail because they don't want to keep others from speaking. Highly personal or private subjects may not be effectively explored. Research coordinators can find it a challenge to recruit for and schedule such groups, and finally, the data collected from this research is extensive, and it takes much time and expertise to analyze it.
Focus groups usually are conducted with groups of five to 12 individuals who share similarities but who do not know each other personally. They are chosen because they can speak confidently about their personal experiences with the research topic. Participants give their consent to participate and to be tape- or video-recorded. A trained facilitator, using a predetermined interview guide, helps structure the discussion and encourage participation. Most focus groups last 60 to 90 minutes, and researchers generally conduct three to five of the groups for a single project.
Focus groups are used at all stages of a research project, from the initial development of research questions to program or project evaluation. Qualitative researchers initially used focus groups in communication and media studies, after which health researchers heartily embraced them to test education messages and explore the health behaviors and beliefs of the general public. Now focus groups are used in all disciplines employing qualitative methods, including education, human services, sociology, anthropology, cultural geography and business.