What type of methods would qualitative research typically include?

Qualitative research primarily focuses on exploring and understanding the meanings, experiences, and perspectives of individuals within their social context. It typically employs methods that provide deep insights into emotions, motivations, and social phenomena, which is why interviews and participant observations are key components of qualitative research.

Interviews allow researchers to engage directly with participants, enabling them to gather nuanced information that reveals how individuals think and feel about particular issues. This method fosters a conversational environment where participants can express their thoughts in their own words, providing rich data that quantitative methods may overlook.

Participant observations, on the other hand, enable researchers to witness behaviors and interactions in real-world settings, offering context that enhances the understanding of the subjects under study. By being part of the environment, researchers can capture the subtleties of social life that contribute to a more comprehensive interpretation of the researched phenomena.

These methods contrast with those listed in the other options, such as surveys, comparative studies, and statistical analyses, which are primarily quantitative in nature. Quantitative methods focus on numerical data and statistical relationships, emphasizing measurement and comparison rather than the in-depth exploration found in qualitative approaches.