What type of research focuses primarily on subjective experiences?

Qualitative research is centered on understanding and interpreting the subjective experiences and perspectives of individuals. This approach emphasizes the richness of human experience and aims to capture the complexity of social phenomena. Researchers employing qualitative methods often use interviews, focus groups, and observations to gather in-depth insights into people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The goal is to uncover the meanings that participants assign to their experiences, providing a nuanced understanding that quantitative methods, which focus on numerical data and statistical analysis, may overlook.

In contrast, quantitative research primarily deals with objective measurements and statistical analyses, making generalizations based on numerical data rather than individual experiences. Mixed-methods research combines elements of both qualitative and quantitative approaches, utilizing qualitative insights while also incorporating numerical data, but it does not focus solely on subjective experiences. Experimental research involves manipulating variables to establish causal relationships, which typically requires objective rather than subjective data. Therefore, qualitative research stands out as the most appropriate choice for focusing on individuals' subjective experiences.