enquiries@rodlaird.co.uk »
Freephone 0800 612 0910
Freefax 0800 612 0920
Now taking bookings
Bookmark and Share

Series 4 - Focus Groups: How to handle tricky situations (21 Jan 10)

The big freeze: what to do when the group decides not to talk to you


Occasionally you may encounter a group which seems to have decided, en masse, not to talk to you.

Not just the odd quiet person, not just a couple who have nothing to say - but the whole group, quite deliberately it seems, refusing to participate.

This happens more often with groups of teenagers and adolescents, less frequently (thankfully) with gr…

Like to read more or make a comment? Log in or register below



Comments

1

Comment by Glen Tower Hamlets Partnership — 26 Jan 10 at 15:55:30

Don't forget the 5 p's: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. Really think through your session and your group - if it's young people then make sure the session is as interactive and itneresting as possible, and uses appropriate language and viewpoints.

And things like this can often be changed from the very second people walk through the door - if you are welcoming and friendly participants are more likely to reciprocate.

Why not join the discussion!

Or even better still offer your own advice and tell us about things that others can learn from.

We moderate comments lightly so bear with us and we'll get your thoughts listed as soon as we can.

You must be logged in to post comments.

Not registered yet? Simply fill in the box below.

Email
Password
Forgotten your password?

Like to have access to this and hundreds of other articles like it? Register now!

Just pop your details in the form below, and you'll have full access to our library as well as receiving the free articles you have requested.

Research and evaluation
Resident involvement
Community involvement
Patient involvement
Communications & marketing
Equality and diversity
Community safety
All of these
Your work email

Already subscribed? Want to manage your account? »

Log in

New?

Register now to benefit from hundreds of free hints, tips, articles and interviews

Your email address:

Contact us»

Latest Twitter updates

Other articles you might enjoy:

20 things that can go wrong with your focus group

How a slightly different team for community focus groups may yield better results

How to commission focus group training

How to conduct focus groups with non English speakers 

How to conduct focus groups with older people

How to get your focus group off to a good start

How to make certain that your focus group tells you genuinely useful information

How to write a report on your focus group findings

How to write and get the most out of a Focus Group Topic Guide – with a step-by-step example

The big freeze: what to do when the group decides not to talk to you

The loudmouth problem: how to stop dominant people ruining your efforts

The quiet ones: simple ways to ensure they contribute, too

What sort of person makes a good focus group moderator?

What to do when people talk too much or too little

What to do with someone who looks bored during a focus group

What to do when someone becomes upset and distressed during a focus group