เปรียบเทียบวิธี

	การสนทนากลุ่มแบบเผชิญหน้า	การสังเกตแบบมีส่วนร่วม
สาขาวิชา	ระเบียบวิธีสำรวจ	การวิจัยเชิงคุณภาพ
ตระกูล	Process / pipeline	Process / pipeline
ปีกำเนิด	1940s (Merton & Lazarsfeld); systematised 1980s–1990s	1922
ผู้ริเริ่ม	Robert K. Merton and Paul Lazarsfeld (focused interview); Richard Krueger and David Morgan (applied focus group methodology)	Bronislaw Malinowski
ประเภท	Qualitative group data-collection technique	Method
แหล่งต้นตำรับ	Krueger, R. A., & Casey, M. A. (2015). Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research (5th ed.). Sage Publications. ISBN: 978-1483365244	Geertz, C. (1973). The Interpretation of Cultures. Basic Books. ISBN: 978-0465026432
ชื่อเรียกอื่น	in-person focus group, FGD, co-located focus group, face-to-face FGD	ethnographic observation, participatory observation, overt observation, immersive observation
ที่เกี่ยวข้อง	5	4
สรุป	A face-to-face focus group is a structured, moderated group discussion conducted in a shared physical space, typically with 6–10 participants who are selected because they share a relevant characteristic. The moderator follows a semi-structured topic guide to elicit opinions, perceptions, and experiences. Unlike surveys, focus groups capture social interaction — agreement, disagreement, and the group dynamics through which attitudes are formed and expressed.	Participant observation is a qualitative research method in which the researcher embeds themselves within a community, organization, or social setting for an extended period, engaging in the activities and relationships of the group while systematically observing and documenting behavior, interactions, and cultural meaning. Pioneered by Malinowski in the 1920s and developed in anthropology, the method has been adopted across sociology, education, health sciences, and organizational research. The researcher functions as both insider (participating in group activities) and outsider (maintaining analytical distance), generating thick description—rich accounts of context, behavior, and meaning that reveal how people actually live and interact.