Which of the following describes qualitative research?

Qualitative research is characterized by its focus on understanding the experiences, thoughts, and feelings of individuals in depth. This approach often employs open-ended questions, allowing participants to express their views and insights in their own words. This method helps researchers gather rich, detailed data that can reveal patterns and themes within complex social phenomena.

Using open-ended questions helps capture the nuances of human experiences that quantitative methods might miss. This type of inquiry emphasizes context and meaning, exploring how individuals construct their experiences rather than simply measuring variables through statistical means.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately represent qualitative research. For instance, heavy reliance on statistical analysis and numbers pertains to quantitative research, while the notion that qualitative research exclusively uses surveys overlooks a variety of other data collection methods such as interviews, focus groups, and observations. Additionally, qualitative research values participant interaction as an integral part of the data-gathering process, contrasting with the idea that it does not require such engagement.