Grant Garstka
Geog 5161
Spring 2010
Focus group techniques: The use of photographs, images, texts, symbols, and props
1. Definition of the method and discussion of the research questions for which it was developed.
The use of images and props in focus groups come from two main areas. One is psychology where
interpretative images are used to solicit thoughts and responses. The other is the world of business.
The latter can be narrowed to media, marketing, advertising, and product testing research.
Focus group techniques are used to elicit discussion that help provide a deeper understanding,
additional insight, or to bring about a wider range of issues for your research topic
2. The strengths of the method and the situations in which it is employed.
The primary goal of focus groups is to bring about discussion and interaction. When participants are
asked questions in a focus group setting, their final answer is not always the researcher's main interest.
How participants arrive at a answer can be much more interesting than the answer itself. The process of
arriving at the answer can tell the researcher much more information. If only seeking the answer,
interview or survey data might be a better method. Padilla (1993) calls this “Dialogical Research”
because the discussion is revelatory and provides a deeper understandings of the answer or additioanl
information about how and why people arrive at the answer. Some focus group questions might be
more general or exploratory, not always seeking a sort of specif answer. Therefore,there are many
methods, devices, and techniques to help encourage discussion about a specific topic to better
understand how people view a certain topic or subject.
Advantages:










stimulate interest; engage participants
Trigger responses
Keep participants on task (non-verbal cues)
Exploratory – use before more structured parts of session
Balance – exploratory vs. task setting
Eases comparison across many focus groups (constants)
Provides different ways to participate
Gives participants some security
Re-shapes dynamic between researcher/participants by empowering subjects
FUN!!!!
3. The weaknesses or limitations of the method and situations in which it might be avoided.
 Props can be a distraction – keep out of the way until you need them
 Images/ props can limit or shape the type of responses (need to be critical of the items you
select)
 Group size / number of groups
 International contexts
◦ Access to items
◦ Cultural context of items
4. Comparison of different types of techniques
There are many different types of techniques that one can use in a focus group. Each one has its
advantages and disadvantages. While most techniques are adaptive and flexible to best fit the needs of
your project and research goals, some techniques might not be relevant, some might not apply to your
needs, or some might not be the appropriate for answering your research questions. To this end, it is
important to think about each technique and how it can help you and how you might be able to adapt
the different techniques to best fit your needs. Some of the most common types of techniques are:










Props – Printed cards (key words, topics, themes); photos, maps, texts, documents
Vignettes – hypothetical cases and scenarios
News Bulletin photo activity
Storytelling – how were participants involved with X
Participatory mapping
Mind mapping
Research findings – Do they agree/disagree?
First thoughts
Word association/ sentence completion
Ranking
5. Examples (published research in geography) demonstrating either the strengths or weaknesses
of the method.
There is limited discussion in the geography literature on using methods focus group techniques. A few
examples include:
Kesby, Mike. 2005. Participatory diagramming: deploying qualitative methods through an action
research epistemology. In Area 32, no. 4: 423-435.
Meinhof, U. and D. Galasinski. 2000. Border Discourse. Changing Identities, Changing Nations,
Changing Stories in European Border Communities. A State-of-the-Art Report. European Commission.
If seeking additional information, the literature on focus groups can provide some insight as well as the
literature related to conducting focus groups in business settings.
2. Any current debate, criticism, and controversy surrounding the method.
There is little debate on this method. However, attention should be given to “Visual Methodologies”
which also uses images and visuals in research methods. This method uses analysis of films, photos,
promotional materials, computer graphics to answer questions such as:
 How are places created and used in visual imagery?
 How do people view the world?
 How does imagery create cultural meaning?
There is some debate on this method about whether the method is masculine, modernistic, objectifying,
and disconnected or more feminine, post-modern, and grounded. Most of the debate depends on how
you use this particular method. More textual analysis approaches are critiqued for being
modernistic/modernistic, while 'visual anthropology' approach is more grounded but critiqued for being
to site specific, local, fragmented as well as potential moral/ethical considerations.