Final answer:
Qualitative research involves analyzing subjective, nonnumerical data through various methods such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, and case studies, offering rich insights into human behavior that quantitative data may not capture.
Step-by-step explanation:
When researchers analyze nonnumerical data such as text, audio, video, and photographs, they are conducting qualitative research. This type of research involves collecting subjective data that can reveal information about language, feelings, or impressions.
Such data is often gathered through methods like in-depth interviews, focus groups, and the analysis of content sources, as well as through observations in natural settings. Unlike quantitative data, which can be easily measured and analyzed statistically, qualitative data provides a richer, more descriptive understanding of the subject at hand.
It is particularly useful in fields like qualitative sociology, where the focus is on understanding internal thought processes and symbolic interactions that cannot be directly observed or measured.
Case studies, for example, rely heavily on this form of research, as they seek to gain an in-depth understanding of a particular individual, group, or situation.
Given its subjective nature, qualitative research is often difficult to control and replicate, but it can offer valuable insights that quantitative methods might miss. In many social science disciplines, qualitative assessments are crucial for driving investigations and refining conclusions about human behavior.