Advantages & Disadvantages


Advantages

  1. Save Time
    Researcher can capture extensive views from a representative sample within just one focus group session. Comparing with individual in-depth interview, extensive, useful data from multiple participants could be collected within a much shorter period of time.
  1. Group dynamics and interaction
    The group dynamics produced by social interaction and communication between group members is useful: When members challenge, complement, support, disagree or agree with the ideas of others in the group, this can be used to “cross check” the validity of data obtained.

Disdvantages

  1. Suppression of minority opinion
    Group dynamic may sometimes subtly impose consensus (Morgan and Krueger, 1998), which suppresses the voice of minority or exceptional opinions.
  1. Problem of confidentiality
    Focus group may not be best method to research sensitive or even taboo issues