Which of the following best describes the purpose of group interviews?

The purpose of group interviews is best described as facilitating discussion and exploring group dynamics. This method allows researchers to engage participants in a conversation where they can share their experiences, opinions, and feelings in a collective setting. The interaction among participants can reveal how social interactions, group norms, and relationships influence their thoughts and behaviors, providing rich qualitative insights that would not be as accessible in individual interviews. This collaborative atmosphere encourages participants to build upon each other's ideas, leading to a deeper understanding of the topic being researched.

In contrast, collecting quantitative data from large populations focuses on statistical analysis rather than qualitative insights, which is not the primary aim of group interviews. Ensuring anonymity is more relevant to the ethical considerations of research, especially in individual interviews, but it is not the core purpose of group interviews. Gathering written testimonials aligns more closely with methods that solicit individual accounts or reflections, rather than the interactive dialogue that characterizes group interviews.