Flashcards on Interviews (3.5)

Sociologists use different types of interview in their research. What are the four types sociologists may choose from?

What is a structured interview?

What is an unstructured interview?

What is a semi-structured interview?

What is a group interview?

Structured interviews have a handful of practical advantages. What are they?

However, there are also a number of practical issues associated with structured interviews. Give examples:

Structured interviews allow researchers to survey large numbers of people. What benefit does this carry?

The numbers studied using structured interviews are often lower than that of questionnaires. However, what advantage do structured interviews have over questionnaires?

Which sample shows the high response rate of structured interviews, and what may this study indicate?

How can an interview increase response rates for structured interviews?

Pursuing those who do not respond will increase the cost of the survey. However, why is it thought to be worth the cost?

However, those who do respond may be untypical. What does this mean?

What impact can untypical respondents have?

Structured interviews are seen as reliable. Why?

However, a major disadvantage of structured interviews is that they are not valid. Critics of the structured interview argue that there are a number of ways in which they give false representations of whatever is being studied. Give examples:

Interviews are a social interaction. What impact does this have?

Structured interviews have also been criticised for being inflexible. Why are they seen as such?

Which sociological perspective is particularly critical of structured interviews?

Hilary Graham argues that survey methods such as questionnaires and structured interviews are patriarchal. Why does she believe this is the case?

The criticisms put forward by Graham and her fellow feminists are similar to those put forward by which other perspective?

Graham argues that researchers need to use methods that allow the researcher to understand women's behaviour, attitudes and meanings. What method does she advocate for?

An alternative form of interviewing is the unstructured interview. These are considered to produce far more valid data than structured interviews for several reasons. For example, it is said they build rapport and sensitivity. Was is meant by this?

Which sociologists found that unstructured interviews were particularly useful when researching sensitive topics?

Unstructured interviews are also credited with allowing the interviewee to freely express their view. How do they do this?

Another benefit of unstructured interviews is that understanding can be checked. What is meant by this?

Unlike structured interviews, unstructured interviews are highly flexible. Why?

How do unstructured interviews allow researchers to explore unfamiliar topics?

However, unstructured interviews have several disadvantages. Firstly, there are a number of practical problems. Give examples:

The smaller numbers involved in unstructured interviews means it is more likely that the sample interviewed will not be representative. Why is this a disadvantage?

Why are unstructured interviews not reliable?

Why are unstructured interviews not standardised?

Why is it very difficult to quantify the answers given in unstructured interviews?

The lack of quantitative data makes unstructured interviews less useful for establishing what?

Finally, unstructured interviews are generally seen as producing valid data, but critics argue that the interaction between interviewer and interviewee inevitably does what?

All interviews involve a social interaction between interviewer and interviewee. However, social interactions can threaten the validity of interviews in several ways. For example, there is a risk of interviewer bias. What does this mean?

Another source of interviewer bias is where the interviewer identifies too closely with the interviewees. Which feminists acknowledged that, as a mother herself, she found it difficult to remain detached and neutral when interviewing other women about maternity and childbirth?

Social interactions can also threaten the validity of interviews because they are ultimately artificial. What is meant by this?

In addition, the validity of interviews may be lowered due to status and power inequalities. Inequalities between interviewer and interviewee may impact the latter's honesty and willingness to answer. The bigger the status difference, the less valid the data. What did Josephine Rich find?

While all forms of interview risk distorting data as a result of status and power inequalities, the risk is lower for structured interviews. Why?

Cultural differences may also undermine validity. There may be misunderstandings as a result of different means being given to the same words. Similarly, the cultural gap may mean that interviewers can't tell when they're being lied. Which sociologist's study examples this?

Another disadvantage linked to social interactions is the social desirability effect. What is this?

Finally, while there are relatively few ethical issues with interviews, there is one significant ethical problem. What is it?

How may interviewers avoid this ethical issue?

Some researchers use techniques to improve the chances of obtaining valid data. What technique did Alfred Kinsey use?

What technique did Howard Becker use?