What type of research emphasizes understanding through context, narratives, and experiences?

Qualitative research emphasizes understanding social phenomena through context, narratives, and personal experiences. This approach focuses on gathering non-numerical data, allowing researchers to explore deeper meanings and insights that participants attribute to their experiences and interactions within their environments. By using methods such as interviews, focus groups, and observations, qualitative research provides a rich, detailed understanding of human behavior, motivations, and social processes.

In contrast, quantitative research primarily concerns itself with numerical data and statistical analysis to understand trends, patterns, and relationships between variables. This method does not delve as deeply into personal narratives or contextual understanding as qualitative research does. Statistical research is often a subset of quantitative research, focused specifically on analysis and interpretation of data using mathematical frameworks. Comparative research, on the other hand, typically involves analyzing two or more groups or phenomena to identify similarities and differences, which may not necessarily prioritize the narratives and contextual understanding central to qualitative research.

Overall, the heart of qualitative research lies in its focus on the subjective interpretation of human experiences, making it the correct answer in this context.