Interviews Flashcards
(12 cards)
Structured or formal interviews
Similar to a questionnaire where the interviewer is given strict instructions on how to ask the questions. Interview is conducted in the same standardised way each time, asking each interviewee the same questions. Provide reliable data as all questions are standardised, questions can be both open and closed.
Structured interviews PET
P+
- cheap (training is simple as interviewer reads out standardised questions)
- access (response rate, generally have a high number of respondents)
P-
- cost (cost more than questionnaires)
- access (following up responses can be more costly and the researcher won’t be able to access as many participants as a survey/ questionnaire would)
E+
- informed consent (no deception, people will only answer questions if they want to)
- protection of participants (participant has the right to withdraw at any time)
E-
- protection of participants (feminists such as Graham argue they are patriarchal and oppressive towards women due to nature of the questions and how the researcher, traditionally male, is in control and female is subordinate)
- deception (true aim of research may be hidden)
T+
- reliability (can easily be repeated)
- representative (able to generalise findings)
T-
- validity (lacks depth and detail, potential for imposition bias, people may lie about their answers for socially desirable responses)
- verstehen (can be subjective and lack empathetic understanding)
Structured interviews
Young and Wilmott- symmetrical family
933 people
Formal and standardised
P+
Time (10-30 mins per interview, limited range of responses and answers are pre-coded)
P-
Cost (questionnaires might be cheaper and produce same data, had to employ interviews)
E+
Informed consent (only respond if they want to)
E-
Harm to participants (no rapport built)
T+
Replicable and reliable (933- large sample size, questions standardised)
T-
Validity (limited understanding of working class families experiences)
Unstructured or informal interviews
More like a guided conversation. Interviewer has complete freedom to vary the questions, their working, order and so on from one interview to the next. The interviewer can ask follow-up questions.
Unstructured interviews PET
P+
- cheap
- access (people more likely to open up due to relaxed nature of interview and interviewer)
P-
- time (take a long time to conduct and analyse data afterwards, may drift of topic)
- background of researcher (researcher needs certain characteristics and skills to be able to build a rapport)
E+
- informed consent (respondent is in control so only volunteers info they are happy to)
- protection of participants (relaxed environment of unstructured interviews makes interviewees feel lore comfortable)
E-
-protection of participants (may be sensitive issues in the interview)
- deception (true aim of research may be hidden)
T+
- validity (unstructured interviews are more flexible, respondents are more likely to open up)
- verstehen (interviewers can build rapport and emphasise with participants)
T-
- representativeness (small number of participants involved means the results will be hard to generalise)
- reliability (unreliable as the questions are not standardised and the respondents can go off-topic)
Unstructured interviews
Dobash and Dobash
Used unstructured interviews with women to research DV
Interviewed domestic violence victims and those who had worked with and helped victims
Constant interviews between 2-12 hours which took way over a few days at domestic violence refuge centre
P+
- access (in a location where they are able to access DV victims)
P-
- time (took 2-12 hours for each interview)
E+
- right to confidentiality (respect participants right to privacy and anonymity)
E-
- sensitivity (issues covered are sensitive)
T+
- validity and verstehen (interviewers can build rapport and emphasise, Ps more likely to open up)
T-
- representative (only 109 participants involved means only one location- not generalisable)
Semi-structured interviews
In between a structured and an unstructured interview. Interview has the same set of questions, but the interviewer can probe for more information.
Group interviews
Several people being interviewed together, at the same time. Focus groups are a form of interview where the interviewer asks the group to discuss a certain topic
Group interviews PET
P+
- access (may be easier to get people to participate)
- funding body (should not be difficult to get funding in order to carry out the research)
P-
- background of researcher (researcher needs skills/ abilities to keep large group on task)
- time and money (data generated from group interviews is more complex and difficult to analys there fore costing more and taking more time)
E+
- informed consent (respondent may be more willing to do the research in group environment)
- protection of participants (due to the fact there are more participants and witnesses present)
E-
- confidentiality (no discretion of way of keeping your identity hidden)
- vulnerable groups (more easily manipulated in group setting)
T+
- validity (Ps may feel more comfortable around others)
- representativeness (large numbers can be interviewed at once)
T-
- representativeness (one or two individuals may dominate discussion)
- validity (peer group pressure may lead to socially desirable responses)
Group interviews
Willis - learning to labour
12 working class boys to find out experience of education
Focus groups with the boys
Wanted to find out if there was an anti-school subculture and if this was linked to social class
P+
- access (numerous people- observe group dynamics, may be more willing to participate together)
P-
- time (differing opinions may lead to time constraints)
E+
- informed consent (participants have agreed to take part in the research)
E-
- harm to participants (vulnerable group, young Ps, could lead to peer pressure)
T+
- validity (respondents formulate ideas)
T-
- representativeness (guided conversation reduces reliable nature, small-scale sample, cannot be generalised)
Interviewer bias
The idea that participants answers may be influenced by the behaviour, phrasing, background or mere presence of interviewer
Social desirability
Participants will answer questions in a way that they believe will be viewed favourably by others
