Unstructured Interviews

Question 1

Describe rapport and sensitivity as an ethical advantage to unstructured interviews

Answer 1

• The informality of unstructured interviews allows the interviewer to develop a rapport with the interviewee.
• This is likely to put the interviewee at ease and encourage them to open up about difficult or personal subjects

Question 2

Give an example of a unstructured interview that shows rapport

Answer 2

• Labov found in a formal interview, black children were tongue-tied.
• But in an more relaxed style (where the interviewer sat on the floor and the child could bring a bring a friend) children had opened up more and spoke freely

Question 3

Describe expressing the interviewee’s view as a validity advantage to unstructured interviews

Answer 3

• As there’s no set questions, the interviewee can speak about things they think are important, permitting them to express themselves as they please
• By allowing them greater freedom to express their views, this produces fresh insights and valid data

Question 4

Give an example of a unstructured interviews that had expressing interviewee views as a validity advantage

Answer 4

Dean and Taylor-Gooby used unstructured interviews, lasting up to 90 minutes, with 86 claimants

Question 5

Describe exploring the grounded theory as an advantage to unstructured interviews

Answer 5

• Interpretivists argue we should approach research with an open mind and should develop a grounded theory, where we built up and modify the hypothesis during the research as we learn facts
• This is useful in investigating unfamiliar topics as we might not know what questions to ask and pursue questions we find important.

Question 6

Describe reliability as a disadvantage to unstructured interviews

Answer 6

• Positivists argue it’s unreliable as every interview is unique.
• As a result, it’s impossible for another researcher to replicate the interviews and findings.
• For positivist, this is a major shortcoming as we can’t be confident if the findings are in fact true

Question 7

Describe validity as a disadvantage to unstructured

Answer 7

Positivist argue the interactions between the interviewer and interviewer undermines the validity.
- e.g. if they rely on rapport, interviewees mat be more concerned to please their ‘friend’ by what they believe are expected answers.

Question 8

Describe representativeness as a disadvantage to unstructured interviews

Answer 8

Positivists argue they produce unrepresentative date, which prevents generalisation and causal laws from being discovered, this is because they take longer so sample sizes are more representative

Question 9

What are feminist views on unstructured interviews?

Answer 9

Oakley argues it’s superior and a feminist approach to research
- It’s value-committed: it takes the women’s side, aims to give them a voice and to free them from oppresion
- Requires the researcher’s involvement, rather then detachment, with the lives of the women studies
- Aims for equality between the researcher and researched, rather than hierarchy

Question 10

Give evaluation for feminist views on unstructured interviews

Answer 10

Pawson argues there’s nothing distinctively feminist about Oakley’s approach. Her view is the same as interpretivism, with its ‘time-honoured tradition of positivism-bashing in general,’