Which of the following best defines qualitative research?

Qualitative research is best defined by its objective to understand human behavior in context. This approach emphasizes capturing the complexity of human experiences, perspectives, and meanings. By exploring how individuals perceive and interpret their experiences, qualitative research provides insights into social phenomena that quantitative methods may overlook. It often employs methods such as interviews, focus groups, and observations, allowing researchers to delve deeply into topics and gather nuanced data that captures the richness of people's lived experiences.

While other options focus on different aspects of research—such as statistical analysis, numerical data collection, or evaluating interventions—these do not align with the core aim of qualitative research, which is grounded in exploration and understanding rather than measurement and testing hypotheses.