interviews

What are interviews & the 4 types

A series of questions asked with a level of social interaction between the interviewer and the interviewee

1. Structured

2. Unstructured

3. Semi-structured

4. Group

What are structured interviews & example

Strict instructions on how to as the questions, use the same questions, & conducted in the same way each time

E.g. Wilmott & Young’s study if extended families in East London

Practical evaluation of structured interviews

• Training interviewers is straightforward & inexpensive - allows researchers to cover large numbers of participants effectively

• More costly than posting or emailing a questionnaire - interviewers need ti be trained & payed

Ethical evaluation of structured interviews

• Participants provide informed consent & have the right to withdraw

• Some respondents feel pressured to answer in a certain way due to the presence of the interviewer

Are structured interviews reliable

• Since all respondents answer the same questions in the same way they’re easy to replicate

Are structured interviews valid

• The presence of an interviewer can help clarify misunderstandings ensuring more accurate responses

• Pre-set answers may not reflect the interviewee’s actual views which limits depth & insight

Are structured interviews representative

• Higher response rates compared to self-completion questionnaires - more generalisable

• Certain types of people are more likely to agree to take part than others

Theoretical evaluation of structured interviews

• Positivists - favour because they produce quantitative data that can be statistically analysed

• Interpretivists - criticise since they impose the researchers framework which limits respondents ability to express themselves freely

Why do feminists criticise structured interviews

Structured methods are seen as patriarchal & invalid for women’s experiences

• researcher controls the interview, which mirror the subordination of women

• Survey methods isolate individuals which ignores power dynamics

What are unstructured interviews & example

Interviewer has complete freedom to vary the questions, ask follow up questions, & probe more deeply - like a guided conversation

E.g. Anne Oakley - The Sociology of Housework 1974

Practical evaluation of unstructured interviews

• Allow interviewers to build rapport with participants making them feel comfortable & encouraging honest responses

• Time-consuming to conduct & analyse - responses vary widely and require interpretation

Ethical evaluation of unstructured interviews

• Informed consent & right to withdraw

• Empathy from researcher provides comfort

Are unstructured interviews reliable

• Hard to replicate as different interviewers may ask different follow up questions leading to varied responses

Are unstructured interviews valid

• Since questions are open-ended & flexible they provide deep, detailed insights into participants thoughts and experiences

• Demand characteristics or the Hawthorne effect can occur

Are unstructured interviews representative

• Can capture diverse perspectives making findings more reflective of real world experiences

• Small sample sizes aren’t generalisable to the wider population

Theoretical evaluation of unstructured interviews

• Interpretivists- favour as they produce quantitative data that helps understand meanings & motivations

• Positivists - criticise since they lack standardisation & are different to quantify

What are semi-structured interviews

Focus on follow up questions but still maintain some level of consistency

What are group interviews

Focus groups up to 12 people interviewed together