Self reporting data: Interviews

Question 1

What is a structured interview?

Answer 1

Predetermined questions delivered by an interviewer who does not probe beyond the answers recerived but may answer questions from the interviewee.

Question 2

What are some positives of a structured interview?

Answer 2

• Can be easily repeated
• Easier to analyse then unstructured interviews because answers are more predictable
• Interviewer can provide extra information, for example explaining what a particular questions means

Question 3

What are some negatives about structured interview?

Answer 3

• The interviewers expectations may influence the answers the intervieww gives (this is called researcher bias)
• Ppts may feel reluctant to reveal personal information when face to face with an interviewer

Question 4

What is a semi structured interview?

Answer 4

Some questions are predetermined but also new questions are developed as the interview proceeds

Question 5

What is an unstructured interview?

Answer 5

No questions are decided in advance

Question 6

What are some positives about unstuctured and semi structured interviews?

Answer 6

• More detailed information can be obtained from each responden than in a structured interview because subsequent questions are specifically shaped to the participant
• Can access information that may not be revealed by predetermined questions

Question 7

What are some negatives about unstuctured and semi structured interviews?

Answer 7

• More affecred by interviewer bias than structured interviews because the interviewer is developing quesitons on the spot and may be prone to issues such as inadvertently asking leading questions
• Requires well trained interviewers hwich may be difficul to obtain and makes the research more expensive

Question 8

What are some differences to questionnaires compared to interviews?

Answer 8

• Can be given out to lots of people and therefore the researcher can collect a large amount of data
• People may feel more willing to reveal confidential information on a questionnaire because the presence of an interviewer may make them feel they are being judged by someone else

Question 9

What are some differences to interviews compared to questionnaires?

Answer 9

• NUmbers of ppts are restricted because of the time it take to conduct the interview and the expense of training and employing interviewers
• People may reveal more information because a skilled interviewer can encourage more thoughtful responses

Question 10

What is researcher effect/bias?

Answer 10

This may encourage certain behaviours in pppts. The result is that the researchers expectations are fulfilled