The collection of data about attitudes, beliefs and intentions is known as what type of research?

• A. Quantitative research
• B. Focus groups
• C. Primary research
• D. Qualitative research

Answer: (D)

Attitudes, beliefs and intentions are subjective and interpretive, so they’re best explored using qualitative research. This approach collects non-numeric data to understand meanings, opinions and experiences, often through interviews, open-ended questions, and discussions. It aims to uncover why people think a certain way and what lies behind their intentions, providing depth and context rather than numbers. Quantitative research would convert attitudes into scales and percentages, which isn’t what’s being described here. Focus groups are a method used within qualitative research, not the overarching type itself. Primary research simply means data you collect yourself, which can be qualitative or quantitative. So, the collection of data about attitudes, beliefs and intentions is qualitative research.