What is qualitative content analysis primarily focused on?

Qualitative content analysis is fundamentally focused on interpreting and analyzing textual or visual data. This approach seeks to understand the underlying meanings, themes, and patterns within the content being studied, rather than just quantifying aspects of it.

This method allows researchers to delve into the nuances of communication, whether it be through written texts, images, or audiovisual materials, and to uncover insights that may not be evident through quantitative methods. By examining how particular words, phrases, symbols, or visuals convey meanings, qualitative content analysis provides a richer, context-driven understanding of the subject matter.

The other options represent methodologies that do not align with the primary focus of qualitative content analysis. For example, quantitative measurement emphasizes numerical data and statistical analysis rather than the interpretative depth that qualitative approaches prioritize. Statistical evidence is typically associated with testing hypotheses through quantitative data rather than exploring content meaning. Lastly, standardized surveys are designed to gather uniform data for analysis and measurement, which diverges from the qualitative focus on deeper interpretation of varied and complex data sets.