Focus groups, yes. I was a regular once, but they haven't been calling lately. You know what I discovered? The market research company was located on the third or fourth floor of a narrow city building. As we, the participants, collected our tax free cash, ate the cookies and chocolates and boarded the elevator down, I was hearing from my fellow opinion givers their true opinions, as often as not contradicting the opinions which they expressed in that room upstairs with a two way mirror wall and the microphones in the ceiling..
I didn't stick around to talk to the other participants afterwords, so I can't relate to what you experienced.
It does explain why I only got called in about four times a year.
I was getting paid for an honest opinion, so that is what I provided.