Exam 1: Ch. 1-4

Question 1

What is an interview?

Answer 1

i. Interactional communication process between two parties, at least one of whom has a predetermined and serious purpose, that involves the asking and answering of questions

Question 2

Elements of an interview

Answer 2

1. Exchanging, or sharing, of roles, responsibilities, feelings, beliefs, motives, and information.
2. Roles switch…and then switch back
3. Takes two tango: collaborative in nature
4. Disclosure is needed…and yes, it is a risk

Question 3

Characteristics of interviewing relating to process

Answer 3

1. It is a complex, ever-changing process
2. No interview occurs in a vacuum.
3. An interview is an ongoing process.

Question 4

Interviewing relating to Parties

Answer 4

1. A dyadic process involves two parties
2. It’s not an interview if more than two parties are involved.

Question 5

Characteristics of the layout of an interview?

Answer 5

1. Some degree of structure exists.
   a. Predetermined and serious
   b. Structures v. semi-structured
2. An interview is a conversation and much more intent and purpose

Question 6

traditional forms of interviewing: a. Information-gathering interviews

Answer 6

i. Primary purpose: gather accurate, insightful, and useful information though the skillful use of questions (prepared and spontaneous)
ii. Examples: surveys, exit interviews, research sessions, investigations

Question 7

traditional forms of interviewing: Selection interviews

Answer 7

i. Example: recruitment interviews
ii. Primary purpose: to determine the ideal placement of applicant/staff member

Question 8

traditional forms of interviewing: c. Interviewee’s behavior review interview

Answer 8

i. Primary focus: interviewee’s skills, performance, abilities, or behavior
ii. Example: annual performance review
iii. The emphasis is on goal-setting and coaching the interviewee to continue good behaviors
iv. Depending on severity, the emphasis may change…

Question 9

traditional forms of interviewing: Interviewer’s behavior review interview

Answer 9

i. The emphasis is on the interviewers behavior, performance, or attitudes
ii. Ex: common setting involve receipt of complaints

Question 10

traditional forms of interviewing: persuasian

Answer 10

i. Purpose: one party attempts to alter or reinforce the thinking, feeling, or acting of another party
ii. May be formal, or informal
iii. Ex: fund-raising, sales pitch

Question 11

Nontraditional forms of interviewing: a. The focus group interview

Answer 11

i. A small group of people (usually 6-12) is interviewed by a highly skilled interviewer (moderator or facilitator)
ii. Focus: opinions, insights, and responses gleaned from careful listening and recording

Question 12

Nontraditional forms of interviewing: b. The telephone interview

Answer 12

i. Examples: initial employment screening interviews, fund-raising campaigns and opinion polls
ii. Advantage: time and cost efficient
iii. Disadvantage: lack of “presence” of parties
iv. Remember: phone etiquette

Question 13

Nontraditional forms of interviewing: c. The videoconference interview

Answer 13

i. Length of answers matter
ii. Body language matters
iii. Volume matters
iv. Technology matters
v. Advantage: cost efficient; lack of location constraints
vi. Disadvantage: technology glitches

Question 14

Nontraditonal forms of interviews: The e-mail interview

Answer 14

i. Advantage: lack of scheduling/location constraints
ii. Disadvantage: reluctance of parties to type lengthy answers

Question 15

Interview as collaborative (4)

Answer 15

1) Each party consists of unique and complex individual
2) Each party’s motivations inform the situation
3) Relational history or memory plays an important role
4) Relational dimensions

Question 16

Directive approach

Answer 16

A directive approach allows the interviewer to maintain control.

Question 17

Nondirective approach

Answer 17

i. A nondirective approach enables the interviewee to share control.
ii. Ex: doctor-patient interactions

Question 18

Level 1 interaction

Answer 18

1. Avoid judgments, attitudes, and feelings
2. Are safe and superficial
3. Dominate interactions where there is little relational history, where trust has yet to be established, and hierarchy is obvious.

Question 19

Level 2 interaction

Answer 19

1. Require trust and risk-taking
2. More revealing ideas, feelings, and information
3. Although riskier, can be ended easily
4. Ex: news story interview

Question 20

Level 3 interaction

Answer 20

1. Involve full disclosure
2. Deal with intimate and controversial areas of inquiry
3. Requires a positive relationship
4. Ex: magazine-story interviews

Question 21

Non-verbal interactions

Answer 21

i. Nonverbal signals send many different messages
ii. Any behavioral act, or its absence, can convey a message.
iii. In mixed messages, the how may overcome the what.
iv. Verbal and nonverbal messages are intricately intertwined.

Question 22

Feedback

Answer 22

a. Be perceptive, sensitive, and receptive
b. It is difficult to listen with your mouth open and your ears closed.

Question 23

4 different listening approaches

Answer 23

i. Listening for comprehension: teacher-student
ii. Listening for empathy: parent-child
iii. Listen for evaluation: employer-employee

iv. Listening for resolution: psychiatrist-patient

Question 24

Highly open questions

Answer 24

i. Specify a broad and general topic
ii. Allow the respondent considerable freedom in determining response (the amount and kind of information)
iii. Example: tell me about your summer
1. What do you remember about your childhood?

Question 25

Moderately open questions

Answer 25

i. One level more specific than highly open questions
ii. Example: summer —summer vacation in Italy
1. Childhood—experiences with siblings growing up

Question 26

Advantages of open questions

Answer 26

i. More information
1. Lengthier answers
2. Less threatening
3. Complex responses that reveal more than information

Question 27

Disadvanteges to open questions

Answer 27

i. Time-consuming
ii. Off-track
iii. Information overload

Question 28

Characterisitcs of closed questions: high and moderate

Answer 28

a. Narrow in focus
b. Moderately closed questions
i. Summer—monuments you visited in Italy
c. Highly Closed questions:
i. Summer—monuments you visited first and your favorite

Question 29

Advatages of closed questions

Answer 29

i. Specific information
ii. Replicable
iii. Quick
iv. Easy to analyze multiple interviews

Question 30

disadvantages of closed questions

Answer 30

i. Too little information
ii. “Why” remains unanswered
iii. Depends on knowledge level

Question 31

Open vs. Closed questions

Answer 31

a. Narrower question: data decreases
i. Control
ii. Precision
b. Broader question: data increases
i. Less control
ii. Less precision
c. Best: combination of approaches

Question 32

Primary questions

Answer 32

a. Primary: introduce topics or new areas within a topic and can stand alone even when taken out of context

Question 33

Probing questions

Answer 33

b. Probing: attempt to discover additional information following primary and secondary…

Question 34

Types of probing questions (7)

Answer 34

1) Silent probes: providing space for response
2) Nudging probes: “go on” right” “I see”
3) Clearing house probes: use when wrapping up one area and moving on to the next. “Anything else I need to know about this job” “do you have anything else to add?”
4) Informational probes: follow-up to a closed question. “Tell me more about” “why do you think…” “How did that make you feel?”
5) Restatement probes: rephrasing original questions when answers lacking
6) Reflective probes: used to clarify, verify; NOT to “trap” the interviewee
7) Mirror probes: summarize response to ensure accuracy

Question 35

Neutral and leading questions

Answer 35

a. Neutral questions encourage honest answers
b. Leading questions direct interviewees to specific answers
i. Reveal interviewer bias – “whatever you like”
ii. Lead to “dictated” responses

Question 36

Loaded questions

Answer 36

another level of leading, have assumptions built in
a. How did Batman 3 compare with the previous ones Versus. Don’t you think the second Batman movie was better than the most recent one?

Question 37

Common question pitfalls: The Bipolar trap

Answer 37

i. Asking yes/no questions when more is needed
ii. Questions that allow for only two opposing options as an answer
1. E.g.” do you, did you, are you, have you”
iii. Avoid it by beginning questions with words like “how”, “why”, “explain”, “tell me about it”

Question 38

common question pitfalls: Tell me everything

Answer 38

i. Too open, does not provide the interviewee with direction
ii. “tell me everything about yourself”

Question 39

Common question pitfalls: the open-to-close switch

Answer 39

i. Occurs usually when questions are being phrased on the fly
ii. Ex: Why did you purchase a hybrid car?…

Question 40

Common question pitfalls: The curious probe

Answer 40

i. Asking irrelevant questions
ii. Relevance is contextual

Question 41

Common question pitfalls: Complexity vs. Simplicity

Answer 41

i. Long-winded questions can be confusing
ii. Provide clear, concise instructions on surveys

Question 42

Common question pitfalls: Don’t ask, don’t tell

Answer 42

i. Be aware about what might be acceptable/not acceptable to ask
ii. Touch on “sensitive” areas only once you’ve established rapport and gained trust

Question 43

Common Question Pitfalls (8)

Answer 43

a. The Bipolar trap
b. Tell me everything
c. The open-to-close switch
d. The double-barreled inquisition
e. The guessing game
f. The curious probe
g. Complexity vs. Simplicity
h. Don’t ask, don’t tell

Question 44

The interview guide: content arrangement

Answer 44

1. A carefully structured outline of topics and subtopics to be covered during an interview
2. Ensures that all important topics and subtopics are covered
3. Assists in recording answers and recall

Question 45

ii. Visual frame work

Answer 45

1. Main point
   a. Subpoint
   i. Sub-subpoint
   ii. Sub-subpoint

Question 46

Outline sequences for interview guides

Answer 46

1. Topical: main points explore different topics
2. Time: main points follow time pattern
3. Space: main points follow directional pattern
4. Cause-to-effect: main points explore cause-effect relationship
5. Problem-solution: main points explore cause-effect relationship

Question 47

Nonscheduled interview schedules

Answer 47

a. Merely an interview guide with no questions prepared in advance
b. Use when interviews are short, preparation time is scarce
c. Extremely flexible (maybe more flexible than needed)
d. Disadvantage: unintentional interviewer bias

Question 48

Moderately scheduled interview schedules

Answer 48

a. Contains all major questions with possible probing questions under each
b. Lessens the dangers of instant question creation

Question 49

Highly scheduled interview schedules

Answer 49

a. Includes all questions and the exact wording to be used with each interviewee.
b. Highly scheduled interviews sacrifice flexibility and adaptability for control.
c. Necessary for precision, replicability, and reliability

Question 50

Tunnel sequence:

Answer 50

a series of similar questions, either open or closed, it works well with informal and simple interviews

1. Ex: I understand you participated in Big Event last year. I was hoping we could talk about that experience today.
   a. When did it take place?
   b. Why did you participate?
   c. How many aggies participate?
   d. Can you describe your task?

Question 51

Funnel sequence:

Answer 51

begins with a broad, open-ended question and proceeds with evermore-restricted questions, it works well with motivated interviewees.

Question 52

Inverted funnel sequence:

Answer 52

begins with a closed question and proceeds towards open questions. It provides a warm-up time for those reluctant to talk.

Question 53

Combination sequences:

Answer 53

begins with open questions, proceeds to one or more closed questions, and ends with open questions

Question 54

Diamond sequence:

Answer 54

enables interviewers to begin with closed questions, proceed to open questions, and end with closed questions.

Question 55

Opening the interview

Answer 55

a. It takes two parties to launch an interview successfully.
b. Two step process:
i. Establish rapport: goodwill and trust
ii. Orient the other party
c. Rapport and orientation are often intermixed and reduce relational uncertainty.

Question 56

Verbal opening techniques: *do not talk in monologue – make it open to discussion

Answer 56

i. State the purpose
ii. Summarize the problem
iii. Explain how the problem was discovered
iv. Offer and incentive or reward (if appropriate)
v. Request advice or assistance
vi. Draw on background research
vii. Refer to the person who sent you
viii. Refer to your organization
ix. Request a specific amount of time
x. Ask a simple, open question

Question 57

Nonverbal opening techniques:

Answer 57

i. Territoriality
ii. Face, appearance, dress
iii. Touch
iv. Reading non-verbal communication

Question 58

Closing the interview

Answer 58

a. Take your time and be tactful in what you say and do in the closing.
b. The closing often signals the continuation of a relationship.

Question 59

Closing the interview guidlines:

Answer 59

i. Be sincere and honest.
ii. Do not rush the closing.
iii. Do not introduce new topics or ideas during the closing.
iv. Leave the door open for future contacts.
v. Avoid false closing when the interview is not really over.
vi. Avoid failed departures when you soon meet up again with the party after having concluded the interview.

Question 60

techniques for closing the interview

Answer 60

i. Offer to answer questions.
ii. Using clearinghouse questions.
iii. Declare completion of the intended purpose.
iv. Make personal inquiries. (What are your plans for the rest of the day?)
v. Make professional inquiries. (What are your plans in the future?)
vi. Signal that time is up. (“Looks like we are out of time.”)
vii. Explain the reason for the closing
viii. Express appreciation and satisfaction
ix. Arrange for the next meeting
x. Summarize the interview