12 Questions
What is a characteristic of a structured interview?
A standardised list of pre-set questions that a respondent is asked, with a strict interview schedule that is followed exactly.
What is the primary goal of an interview in research?
To gain information directly from participants about their beliefs, opinions, and attitudes.
How does a semi-structured interview differ from a structured interview?
A semi-structured interview has pre-set questions, but also allows for open-ended questions and free-flowing conversation.
What is a characteristic of an unstructured interview?
The interviewer does not have prepared questions or a schedule to follow, and the conversation can go in various directions.
Why are structured interviews more suitable for large-scale studies?
Because they allow multiple interviewers to collect data from many respondents in a consistent manner.
What is the role of the interviewer in an unstructured interview?
The interviewer directs questions based on the respondent's answers, often leading to a conversational style of interview.
What type of information can be gathered from respondents through an interview that would be difficult to achieve in an experiment?
A person's beliefs, feelings, attitudes, and opinions
What is the main limitation of structured interviews in terms of the information they can gather?
They can only access superficial information from respondents
What is the main advantage of semi-structured interviews over structured interviews?
They allow respondents to answer freely and deviate from the interview schedule
Why are unstructured interviews particularly time-consuming?
They require a lot of time to conduct and analyze the data
What is the 'interviewer effect' in the context of interviews?
The interviewer can influence the respondent's answers
Why are unstructured interviews impossible to replicate?
Not all respondents are asked the same questions
Study Notes
Interviews in Research
- Interviews are a non-experimental research method, not manipulating independent variables (IV) directly.
Types of Interviews
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Structured Interviews:
- Pre-set, standardized list of questions asked to respondents in the same order.
- Suitable for large-scale studies with multiple interviewers.
- Little interviewer training required.
- Easy to replicate, but only gather superficial information.
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Semi-Structured Interviews:
- Pre-set questions with a framework, but also open-ended questions allowing free-flowing conversation.
- Suitable for gathering in-depth information from a moderate number of respondents.
- Interviewers require more training.
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Unstructured Interviews:
- No prepared questions or schedule, with a broad aim to follow.
- Suitable for gathering in-depth information from a small group of respondents.
- Time-consuming, requiring well-trained interviewers to build a rapport with respondents.
- Impossible to replicate due to unique questions asked.
Limitations of Interviews
- Social Desirability Bias: Respondents may answer in a way they feel is more socially acceptable.
- Interviewer Effect: The interviewer's presence can influence respondents' answers.
Advantages of Interviews
- Gather information about beliefs, feelings, attitudes, and opinions, which are difficult to achieve in experiments.
- Structured interviews can gather large amounts of information quickly.
Learn about interviews as a research method, structured interviews, and standardized schedules to collect information about participants' beliefs and attitudes.
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