Topic 5 Interviews

Question 1

Which type of interview do positivists favour?

Answer 1

• structured

Question 2

Which type of interview do interpretivists favour?

Answer 2

• unstructured

Question 3

What are the practical disadvantages of structured interviews?

Answer 3

• Inflexible
• No rapport

Question 4

What are the practical advantages of structured interviews?

Answer 4

• Large scale - high response rate as it’s face to face
• personal skills of the researcher are not important

Question 5

What are the ethical advantages of structured interviews?

Answer 5

• Informed consent
• Anonymity and confidentiality

Question 6

What are the ethical disadvantages of structured interviews?

Answer 6

• Vulnerable groups
• Sensitive issues - researcher can’t change questions to protect the respondent

Question 7

What are the theoretical advantages of structured interviews?

Answer 7

Positivists favour structured interviews because they are
- Representative
- Reliable

Question 8

What are the theoretical disadvantages of structured interviews?

Answer 8

Interpretivists dislike because they are
- Not valid
- No verstehen

Question 9

What is the study example for structured interviews?

Answer 9

Willmott and Young who studied conjugal roles and the symmetrical family

Question 10

What are the practical advantages of unstructured interviews?

Answer 10

• Flexible
• Can build a rapport

Question 11

What are the practical disadvantages of unstructured interviews?

Answer 11

• Time consuming and costly - small scale
• Personal skills of researcher are very important - requires training. They need to be able to keep the respondent on track and get adequate answers from them.

Question 12

What are the ethical advantages of unstructured interviews?

Answer 12

• Informed consent
• Anonymity and confidentiality

Question 13

What are the ethical disadvantages of unstructured interviews?

Answer 13

• Vulnerable groups
• Sensitive topics

Question 14

What are the theoretical advantages of unstructured interviews?

Answer 14

Interpretivists like because they are
- Valid - can be repeated and get the same results
- Has a verstehen as there’s depth and detail

Question 15

What are the theoretical disadvantages of unstructured interviews?

Answer 15

Positivists dislike because they are
- Not representative - not large scale E.g. - Becker only spoke to 60 high school teachers. Dobash and Dobash studied only one woman’s shelter
- Not reliable - asking different questions to different people so responses aren’t comparable E.g. - Dobash and Dobash 2-12 hour interviews - means the interviews aren’t standardised.

Question 16

What are the examples of studies for unstructured interviews?

Answer 16

• Oakley - Motherhood and childbirth
• Becker - Ideal pupil
• Dobash and Dobash - Domestic violence

Question 17

What was Oakley’s study using unstructured interviews?

Answer 17

• conducted 40 interviews with housewives
• before and after pregnancy
• spent 9 hours
• able to build a rapport which made it more comfortable so more likely to open up about sensitive topics to do with pregnancy

Question 18

What was Willis’ study using group interviews?

Answer 18

• studied only 1 group of 12 lads
• not representative
• studied their attitudes towards school and their life after school

Question 19

What was William’s study using overt observation?

Answer 19

• observed 8 latino and black young cocaine dealers in NYC from 1982 to 1986

Question 20

What was Wilmott and Young’s study using structured interviews?

Answer 20

• interviews 987 people in areas of London
• not general
• only 6% declined
• concluded the family has become more symmetrical