Methodology: Interviews Flashcards

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1
Q

What is an interview?

A

A one-to-one conversational questionnaire in which questions are asked by the interviewer and answered by the interviewee.

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2
Q

What is a key difference between and interview and a questionnaire?

A

A researcher must be trained in how to conduct interviews.

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3
Q

What are the two types of questions that can arise in an interview?

A

1) Closed

2) Open

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4
Q

Define ‘closed questions’.

A

A question that has a predetermined answer that produces quantitative data.

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5
Q

Give an example of a closed question.

A

“What is 2x2?”

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6
Q

Define ‘open questions’.

A

A question that has no set answer and is open to many responses that produces qualitative data.

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7
Q

Give an example of an open question.

A

“What is the meaning of life?”

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8
Q

How is an interview recorded?

A

The researcher often films or records the interview so that a transcript can be written up at a later date to analyse what is said.

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9
Q

Using an example, identify what might limit interviews as a research method.

A

Sensitive topics that may cause psychological distress for the interviewee, such as reliving an abusive childhood.

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10
Q

List the 3 different types of interviews.

A

1) Structured
2) Semi-structured
3) Unstructured

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11
Q

Define ‘structured interviews’.

A

A formal question and answer session that uses an interview schedule to follow a set number of questions, often using predetermined answers producing quantitative data.

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12
Q

Evaluate a generalisability point of structured interviews.

A

P - High
E - Can gain a large sample quickly due to the standardised nature
E - Therefore its easy replication allows for more to be conducted sooner

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13
Q

Evaluate a reliability point of structured interviews.

A

P - High
E - Follows a standardised set of questions that gain quantitative data
E - Easy to replicate and compare results

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14
Q

Evaluate 2 validity points of structured interviews.

A

P - High
E - Closed questions produce objective quantitative data
E - Therefore it is not open to interpretation or bias
P - Low
E - Lack of detail with mainly closed questions and predetermined answers
E - May not be a true representation of the respondents views

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15
Q

Evaluate 2 practicality points of structured interviews.

A

P - High
E - Less time is taken to ask questions and get answers
E - Quicker and easier to analyse
P - Low
E - Due to the set structure of questions they aren’t flexible
E - Therefore new questions cannot be asked to gain a deeper understanding of what the respondent said

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16
Q

Define ‘unstructured interviews’.

A

A guided conversation that often won’t use an interview schedule and doesn’t follow a set number of questions, producing qualitative data.

17
Q

Evaluate a generalisability point of unstructured interviews.

A

P - Low
E - Longer to conduct and analyse answers
E - It takes more time to carry out and will be more expensive leading to a smaller sample

18
Q

Evaluate a reliability point of unstructured interviews.

A

P - Low
E - No set questions with no interview schedule
E - Harder to replicate and compare answers if ppts go off topic

19
Q

Evaluate 2 validity points of unstructured interviews.

A

P - High
E - More detail due to open questions allowing for qualitative data
E - Can gain more of an insight into the attitudes of respondents
P - Low
E - Analysing qualitative data from open questions can be subjective
E - Therefore researcher bias may reduce credibility of analysed results

20
Q

Evaluate 2 practicality points of unstructured interviews.

A

P - High
E - There is more flexibility to ask different questions due to not using a set interview schedule
E - Therefore clarification of responses and more detail can be gained
P - Low
E - Analysing qualitative data from open questions
E - More time taken and costs more

21
Q

Evaluate the ethics of unstructured interviews.

A

P - Low
E - Often covers sensitive issues (such as Adorno’s 1950 interview on ppts childhood who had high F-scores)
E - Can lead to psychological distress in ppts

22
Q

What is the ‘interviewer effect’?

A

When certain characteristics of the interviewer can be received differently by different respondents, such as a female interviewee being more likely to open up to a female interviewer.

23
Q

How would the interviewer effect alter the design of an interview?

A

The interviewer would need to account for these variables that may affect results:

  • Gender
  • Age
  • Ethnicity
  • Personal characteristics (e.g. clothing)