Theory and Methods Topic 4 - interviews Flashcards
Structured/formal interviews
Interviewer has strict instructions, the interview is conducted in the same way each time, same questions in the same order in the same tone of voice. Both close-ended and coded questions are used.
- Numerical, quantitative data favoured by positivists
- e.g. job interviews
Semi-structured interviews
In between the two other types of interviews, mixture of pre-set and freestyled questions
- Mixture of data which is favoured by interpretivists
Unstructured/informal interviews
‘Discovery interviews’, more like a guided conversation. The interviewer has the freedom to vary questions, their wordings and order of asking follow up questions
- Qualitative data favoured by interpretivists
Practical advantages of structured interviews (2)
- Fairly quick and cheap - can cover quite large numbers of people, training interviewers is straightforward and inexpensive
- Results are easily quantified - closed ended questions are used with coded answers meaning hypotheses can be tested
Ethical advantages of structured interviews (2)
- Detachment - the structure of the interview allows for detachment from the interviewee that means there won’t be as impacted by ethical issues
- Pre-determined set questions - you can decide the wordings of the questions and what order to ask them in, therefore reducing the risk of asking imposing/upsetting questions
Theoretical advantages of structured interviews (3)
- Response rate - fairly quick to carry out therefore data can be collected from a large number of respondents which makes results more representative
- Reliability - data collected is seen to be reliable as all questions are asked in the same way and the same questions are answered so research can be compared and replicated
- Positivist validity - usually pre-coded, closed questions and answers so data is measurable and quantitative therefore achieving positivist validity
Practical disadvantages of structured interviews (2)
- Inflexible - questions have to be drawn up in advance which means researchers are unable to follow any interesting leads which may arise.
- Cost - whilst structured interviews are fairly cheap, they are still more costly than simply posting/emailing a questionnaire out
Ethical disadvantage of structured interviews
- Not suitable for discussing highly personal or sensitive issues as there is no opportunity to establish a rapport between interviewer and interviewee
- interviewees may feel as though they have to answer the questions
Theoretical disadvantages of structured interviews (2)
- Response rate - those who choose to participate may be those with more time on their hands, therefore creating unrepresentative data
- Validity - there is little freedom to explain questions/answers further, meaning people can misunderstand the question, affecting validity
Feminist criticisms of structured interviews (one theorist)
Graham (1983) argues that structured interviews are patriarchal and give a distorted view of women’s experiences.
- this is because the researcher is in control of the situation and decides the line of questioning to be followed. This mirrors women’s subordination in wider society
Practical advantages of unstructured interviews (2)
- Flexibility - unstructured interviews are highly flexible therefore data produced is more valid. There is more opportunity to probe deeper into areas of interests and explore new, unfamiliar topics.
- Exploring unfamiliar topics - unstructured interviews can be more useful where the interviewer is not sure of the subject at the start of the research process as they’re open ended and exploratory questions
Ethical advantage of unstructured interviews
- Rapport and sensitivity - the interviewer can develop a rapport with the interviewee, put them at ease and encourage them to open up
Labov (1973)
Used formal interviews to study the language of black American children and found they appeared to be tongue tied and ‘linguistically deprived’. However when he adopted a more relaxed, informal style the children opened up
Theoretical advantages of unstructured interviews (3)
- The interviewers view - as there are no set questions, the interviewee has more opportunity to speak about things they feel are important, produces fresh insights and valid data
- Checking understanding - allows for the interviewer and interviewee to check meanings
- Flexible - unstructured interviews are highly flexible and therefore data produced is more valid, there is opportunity to probe deeper into areas of interest and explore new topics
Practical disadvantages of unstructured interviews (3)
- Time and cost - take significantly longer to carry out therefore not as many participants can be interviewed which means there’s a small sample size
- Training - interviewers need more training which can add to the cost, also need a background in sociology to understand what information is important
- Interpersonal skills - establishing rapport
Ethical disadvantages of of unstructured interviews (2)
- Harm - can ask distressing/intrusive questions because set questions aren’t followed
- Interpersonal relationships - sometimes a researcher can become too friendly with the participant and cross a professional boundary
Theoretical disadvantages of unstructured interviews (4)
- Representativeness - small number of participants which aren’t representative of the wider population
- Reliability - aren’t standardised, differences between respondents can reflect differences in interview, rather than real differences between participants
- Quantification - might only use open ended questions therefore the answers can’t be pre-coded. difficult to quantify data
- Validity - generally unstructured interviews produce valid data, critics argue interaction between interviewer and interviewee can distort information
Group interviews (one theorist)
A number of people being interviewed together, can also include focus groups to discuss certain topics and record their views. Allows for people to bounce their ideas off of each other, which can also lead to Hawthorne Effect.
- Willis (1977) used group interviews for his research involving ‘lads’ and schooling
Focus groups
A form of group interview where the group focuses on a particular topic to explore in depth and people are free to talk to one another, as well as the researcher
Advantages of group interviews / focus groups (PET)
- Practical - a good way of getting initial ideas, combines questioning with the opportunity to observe group dynamics
- Ethical - Interviewees might feel more comfortable amongst peers so more likely to open up/give answers
- Theoretical - throwing ideas around the group stimulating other’s ideas which produces more valid data
Disadvantages of group interviews / focus groups (PET)
- Practical - one or two individuals could dominate the discussion, preventing others from sharing opinions, data recorded can be difficult to analyse
- Ethical - some people may feel like they’ll be judged if a conversation is about sensitive issues
- Theoretical - peer pressure to conform to norms may affect validity
Interviewer bias when carrying out interviews
The interviewer decides the questions and may ask ‘leading’ questions which might influence how the respondents answer. Interviewees could also be influenced unintentionally based on the interviewer’s age, ethnicity, tone of voice, facial expressions and the way they dress
Artificiality issues when carrying out interviews
Even the most relaxed and informal interview is still an interview, and not everyday conversation, therefore the interviewee may not act in the way they usually do. This is known as ‘Hawthorne Effect’
Issues with status and power inequalities when carrying out interviews (one theorist)
Inequalities between interviewer and interviewee can affect interviewee’s honesty/willingness to answer, therefore affecting the validity of the data
Rich (1968) found that when adults interview children, a child’s need to please the interviewer will affect their responses.
