unstructured interviews

Question 1

what is an unstructered interview?

Answer 1

• interpretivist favoured method
• ask open-ended questions that produce qualitative data rich in meaning
• There is a strong relationship built between the interviewer and the interviewee, which means the data is more likely to be valid.

Question 2

practical: advantages

Answer 2

• allows the interviewer to develop a relationship with the interviewee > allows them to open up
• useful for when studying sensitive topics
• Good for unfamiliar topics

Question 3

practical : disadvantages

Answer 3

• they take time and require smaller sample size
• training > interviewer needs to have a background in sociology

Question 4

ethical: advantage

Answer 4

• Informed Consent
• Right to withdraw
• Guaranteed anonymity
• Privacy

Question 5

ethical: disadvantage

Answer 5

• May cover sensitive topics > risk of psychological harm

Question 6

reliability: disadvantage

Answer 6

• Not standardised
• Qualitative data

Question 7

validity: advantages

Answer 7

• Deeper understanding of topic
• Follow new leads > can ask follow up questions about emotions/feeling

Question 8

validity: disadvantage

Answer 8

• Interviewer bias I.e. leading questions
• Power inequality
• Cultural differences

Question 9

examples

Answer 9

• William Labov 1973 used a formal interview style to study the language of black American children he found were ‘linguistically deprived’.
• However, when using a informal style > sitting on the floor and the child having a friend present the children speaking freely

Question 10

representive: disadvantage

Answer 10

• Small sample > can’t generalised

Question 11

theoretical: advantage

Answer 11

Interpretivists
- Qualitaive data
- Valid
- Can follow new leads

Question 12

theoretical: disadvantage

Answer 12

Positivists
- No quantitative data
- Not replicable
- No hypothesis testing
- No cause + effect relationship