Focus groups typically are used to understand how people with common interests feel and think about an issue, a product, a service, or an idea. Research using focus groups began in the late 1930s and became increasingly popular from the 1950s, owing particularly to the use of focus groups in marketing studies.

How long have focus groups been used?

Focus groups have long been used in marketing, urban planning, and other social sciences. They were first employed in the early 1940s in an effort to move away from interviewer-dominated research methods and were extensively employed when trying to explore issues of morale among American troops during World War II.

When would you use a focus group?

Why a focus group is appropriate: Focus groups are beneficial when the goal is to generate an explanation. If an issue or problem is identified in a quantitative study and you want additional information on why it is an issue or problem, a focus group provides an avenue to gather this information at an affordable cost.