Qualitative research is a method of research that emphasizes the participants perceptions and attitudes in a natural setting. Overall, qualitative research is used to gain insight into people's attitudes, behaviors, value systems, concerns, motivations, aspirations, cultures or lifestyles.
Qualitative research can be taken place everywhere including in the entertainment industry.
MTV uses participant observation to undertake an ethnographic exploration of brands in an online virtual world. Players create avatars and live in an online virtual world.
Studies show that by 2011 80% of active Internet users will partake in the online virtual world. Viacom’s MTV has invested $1.3 billion in virtual games by 2010.
One popular MTV game is Virtual Hills/Laguna Beach. 70% of the shows fans went online after the show and participated in these games. While players may think the game is all for fun, it really is intended as a marketing platform to enhance the sales of the advertised brands. The marketer was extremely smart when thinking this one up. Most people will go on to play the game without even realizing that they are being exposed to advertisements.
The researcher used participant observation by becoming an Avatar in the game. He choose his avatars clothing and skin tone like every other player. He began to explore the virtual world then began to explore the other players. His job is to market brands to the players and communicate with them. The research observed and answered his research questions and concluded that the social interactions among the players in the game along with how they interact with advertisements for social benefits can be mimicked in the real world.
Participant observation is used frequently to observe the online world. Don’t be fooled next time you decide to participate in an online virtual reality world.
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