Interviews

Question 1

Why are ‘Interviews’ a compromise?

Answer 1

• Includes both structured/unstructured methods

- Adapted to meet theoretical + practical preferences of researchers

Question 2

What is ‘Interviewer Bias?’

Answer 2

• Status of researcher has a social impact

- Researcher could direct responses consciously/unconsciously

Question 3

What are the ‘Practical Issues’ with structured interviews?

Answer 3

• Training is straightforward but more costly than questionnaires
• Covers a large sample (Not as much as online questionnaires)
• Results are easily quantified + suitable for hypothesis

Question 4

What is the ‘Response Rate’ like for structured interviews?

Answer 4

• High response rate since it’s difficult to reject a face-to-face request
• Participants may be untypical + produces unrepresentative data

Question 5

Why is the ‘Reliability’ like for structured interviews?

Answer 5

• Standardised + easily repeated

- Answers can be easily compared, similarities + differences identified

Question 6

What is the ‘Validity’ like for structured interviews?

Answer 6

• Pre-coded answers have little scope to clarify misunderstandings
• Interviewer bias can impact answers

Question 7

What is the ‘Inflexibility’ like for structured interviews?

Answer 7

Predetermined answers limit responses

Question 8

What are the ‘Feminist Criticisms’ of structured interviews?

Answer 8

• Researcher’s dominance reflects women’s subordination in wider society
• Unstructured interviews enable an equal + collaborative relationship

Question 9

Why are unstructured interviews good for ‘Rapport and Sensitivity?’

Answer 9

• Allows for a researcher to develop a trusting conversation with interviewee
• Dobash + Dobash used unstructured interviews to study domestic violence

Question 10

What is the ‘Interviewee’s view’ in unstructured interviews?

Answer 10

• Interviewee can produce fresh insights + valid data

- Researchers can probe interviewees for developed thoughts

Question 11

Why are unstructured interviews good for ‘Checking Understanding?’

Answer 11

Interviewer + interviewer can check each other’s meanings + follow up clarifications

Question 12

Why are unstructured interviews ‘Flexible?’

Answer 12

Researcher can formulate new ideas, themes, questions + hypotheses to test them

Question 13

Why are unstructured interviewers good for ‘Exploring Unfamiliar Topics?’

Answer 13

• Researcher has little subject knowledge on the issue researched
• Unstructured interviews develop initial ideas on a topic

Question 14

What are the ‘Practical Problems’ with unstructured interviews?

Answer 14

• Not time efficient
• Training is necessary to conduct research (Costly)
• Interviewers need good interpersonal skills to establish rapport

Question 15

Why aren’t unstructured interviews ‘Representative?’

Answer 15

Tend to be small scale when conducted, can’t be generalised

Question 16

Why aren’t unstructured interviews ‘Reliable?’

Answer 16

Not standardised as each interview is unique + impossible to replicate

Question 17

Why aren’t unstructured interviews ‘Quantifiable?’

Answer 17

Open-questions can’t be quantified + not useful to establish cause + effect relationships

Question 18

Why aren’t unstructured interviews ‘Valid?’

Answer 18

Critics argue because they are interactive, it distorts the information obtained

Question 19

What did Oakley argue about ‘Interviewer Bias?’

Answer 19

As a mother herself, she found it difficult to remain detached when interviewing women on maternity

Question 20

Why are interviews ‘Artificial?’

Answer 20

Every interview isn’t a normal conversation, answers can’t be guaranteed to be truthful

Question 21

Why do interviews produce ‘Power and Status inequalities?’

Answer 21

• Inequalities between interviewer + interviewer may impact honesty
• Social class, Age, Gender + Ethnicity can impact interviews

Question 22

What did Rich find about unstructured interviews?

Answer 22

When adults interviewed children, answers will often reflects the child’s need to please the interviewer

Question 23

Why are there ‘Cultural Differences’ in interviews?

Answer 23

Misunderstandings between interviewer + interviewee as a result of different meanings attached to words

Question 24

What is the ‘Social Desirability Effect’ in interviews?

Answer 24

• Social interactions cause people to seek approval

- Interviewees may not answer truthfully to avoid judgement

Question 25

What are the ‘Ethical Issues’ with interviews?

Answer 25

Interviewee may feel under pressure to answer questions