Interviews Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

What are structured/formal interviews?

A

They are essentially a verbal questionnaire. The interviewer is given strict standards listed instructions on how to ask questions in precisely the same way,word for word, same order, tone of voice etc

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are unstructured/informal interviews?

A

They are like a guided conversation where the interviewer has complete freedom to vary the questions,wording and order etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are semi-structured interviews?

A

In between the two each interview has the same set of questions in common, but the interviewer can probe for more detailed information

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

An example study of semi-structured interviews

A

CICOUREL and KITSUSE always followed up their questions with ‘How do you mean’ as a way of getting more information

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are group interviews? + example

A

Can be up to 12-15 people being interviewed. E.g WILLIS used these apart of his research into anti-school subcultures.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

(GI) What are focus groups?

A

They are a form of group interviews on which the researcher asks a group to discuss certain topics and records their views

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

(SI’s) Practical issues

A

-Training interviewers is straightforward but it is more costly than questionaries

-Results are easily testable, therefore are suitable for hypothesis testing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

(SI’s) Response rate

A

-SI’s have a high response rate as people find it difficult to turn down face-to-face request. (increases representativeness)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

(SI’s) 3.Reliability

A

SI’s are viewed as reliable because they are standardised and control and can therefore be repeated.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

(SI’s) 4.Validity (criticism)

A

-Critics of SI’s argue that like questionaries, the closed questions reduce validity of responses as the freedom of the interviewee is restricted.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

(SI’s) 5.Inflexibility

A

-Like questionaries they suffer from inflexibility of having standardised questions and pre-determined questions (impacts validity)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

(SI’s) 6.Feminist criticisms

A

-In SI’s, the researcher is dominant and in control of the interview. Feminists say that this mirrors women’s subordination in wider society

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What type of interview does feminists and Interpretivists favour?

A

Favour unstructured interviews which enable the researcher to build a more equal and collaborative relationship based on trust, empathy and support.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

(UI’s) (ADV) 1.Rapport and sensitivity

A

-The informality of UI’s allows the researcher to develop a rapport (where conversation reflects a relationship of trust and understanding) with the interviewee

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Study of UI’s Rapport and sensitivity

A

DOBASH and DOBASH used them to study domestic violence. The empathy of the researcher will help interviewee to feel more comfortable discussing difficult issues

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

(UI’s) (ADV) 2. The interviewees view

A

-Unlike SI’s the provide great freedom and scope for the interview to speak about things they think are important and relevant to research in their own terms.

17
Q

(UI’s) (ADV) 3.Checking Understanding

A

-The interviewer and interviewee can check each others meanings and follow up questions can clarify misunderstandings

18
Q

(UI’s) (DISASV) 1.Practical problems

A

-As UI’s are in depth explorations, they take a long time to conduct and this limits the number of them that can be carried out making a relatively small sample

19
Q

(UI’s) (DISADV) 2.Representativeness

A

-Samples will rarely be representative due to the smaller number of UI’s that can be conducted (difficult to make generalisations)

20
Q

(UI’s) (DISADV) 3. Reliability

A

-UI’s are not reliable as they are not standardised as each interview is unique. Therefore it is impossible for another researcher to replicate this and check findings

21
Q

What is the interview as a social interaction?

A

All interviews involve social interaction. The danger here, is that the interviewee may be responding not to the questions asked, but to the social situation in which they are asked.

Social interaction can threaten the validity of interviews in several ways

22
Q

(The interview as a social interaction) 1. Interviewer Bias

A

-Interviewers may consciously or unconsciously influence the answer by their facial expression, body language or tone of voice etc.

23
Q

Example of Interviewer Bias (interview as a social interaction)

A

OAKLEY admitted that as a mother herself, she found it difficult to remain detached and neutral when she was interviewing other women about maternity and childbirth

24
Q

(Interview as a social interaction) 2.Artificality

A

-Even the most relaxed UI’s is still an interview and not quite a normal conversation under these artificial conditions. (follow up interviews help to check and improve validity of answers)

25
Q

(Interview as a social interaction) 3.Status and power inequalities

A

-Inequalities between interviewer and interviewee may impact on the interviewee’s honesty or willingness to answer. (biggest status difference, the less valid the data)

26
Q

Example of Status and power inequalities (Interview as a social interaction)

A

RICH found that when adults interview children, the child’s need to please the interviewer will affect their answers

27
Q

What is meant by rapport in relation to interviewing?

A

Where a conversation reflects trust and understanding.

28
Q

Two similarities between SI’s and postal questionaries

A

> Both provide same structured questions for each interviewee to answer with no flexibility

> Both are more likely to be used by Positivists as they are both detached and easier to provide a more macro level of quantitative data

29
Q

Why might interviewer bias be more likely in a UI than a SI

A

because the interviewer is creating the questions based upon the person being interviewed

30
Q

Two ways in which sociologists can improve the validity of interviews as a source of data

A

> If the interviewee feels more comfortable they may provide more honest answers

> If they are culturally matched