What is qualitative research primarily used for?

Qualitative research is primarily used to gather small-sample, exploratory insights. This type of research focuses on understanding the underlying reasons, motivations, and opinions of individuals. It seeks to provide depth and richness of information rather than statistical analysis. Through methods such as interviews, focus groups, and open-ended surveys, qualitative research captures the nuances of human behavior and thought processes.

This approach is particularly valuable in situations where researchers need to explore new ideas or concepts, understand consumer experiences, or develop hypotheses for further research. It can lead to valuable insights that quantitative research may not fully capture. In contrast, the other options relate more to quantitative methods, which emphasize measurement and statistical analysis, rather than the exploratory and interpretative nature of qualitative research.