Define "qualitative research."

Qualitative research is characterized by its focus on understanding phenomena through the exploration of observable characteristics and subjective interpretations. This type of research often involves collecting non-numerical data, such as interviews, open-ended surveys, and observations, which allows researchers to gain in-depth insights into people's experiences, motivations, and behaviors.

By prioritizing context and individual perspectives, qualitative research is valuable in fields like healthcare, where understanding patient experience and preferences is crucial for improving services and outcomes. It allows researchers to capture the complexities of human behavior and social processes that cannot be quantified easily.

In contrast, the other choices represent different aspects of research. Focusing solely on numerical data and statistics pertains to quantitative research, which aims to quantify variables and analyze statistical relationships. Developing new medical technology typically falls under applied research or experimental development, and conducting experiments and trials is part of the scientific method aimed at discovering causal relationships and testing hypotheses. Therefore, option B accurately encapsulates the essence of qualitative research within its broader context in the research landscape.