Which type of interview do positivists favour?
- structured
Which type of interview do interpretivists favour?
- unstructured
What are the practical disadvantages of structured interviews?
- Inflexible - questions can’t be changed
- No rapport
What are the practical advantages of structured interviews?
- Large scale - high response rate as it’s face to face
- personal skills of the researcher are not important, no need to train so quicker and cheaper
What are the ethical advantages of structured interviews?
- Informed consent
- Anonymity and confidentiality
What are the ethical disadvantages of structured interviews?
- Vulnerable groups
- Sensitive issues - researcher can’t change questions to protect the respondent
What are the theoretical advantages of structured interviews?
Positivists favour structured interviews because they are
- Representative
- Reliable
What are the theoretical disadvantages of structured interviews?
Interpretivists dislike because they are
- Not valid
- No verstehen
What is the study example for structured interviews?
Willmott and Young who studied conjugal roles and the symmetrical family
What are the practical advantages of unstructured interviews?
- Flexible - can ask follow up questions
- Can build a rapport
What are the practical disadvantages of unstructured interviews?
- Time consuming and costly - small scale
- Personal skills of researcher are very important - requires training. They need to be able to keep the respondent on track and get adequate answers from them.
What are the ethical advantages of unstructured interviews?
- Informed consent
- Anonymity and confidentiality
- questions can be changed if they’re vulnerable
What are the ethical disadvantages of unstructured interviews?
- Vulnerable groups
- Sensitive topics
What are the theoretical advantages of unstructured interviews?
Interpretivists like because they are
- Valid - can be repeated and get the same results
- Has a verstehen as there’s depth and detail
What are the theoretical disadvantages of unstructured interviews?
Positivists dislike because they are
- Not representative - not large scale E.g. - Becker only spoke to 60 high school teachers. Dobash and Dobash studied only one woman’s shelter
- Not reliable - asking different questions to different people so responses aren’t comparable E.g. - Dobash and Dobash 2-12 hour interviews - means the interviews aren’t standardised.
What are the examples of studies for unstructured interviews?
- Oakley - Motherhood and childbirth
- Becker - Ideal pupil
- Dobash and Dobash - Domestic violence
What was Oakley’s study using unstructured interviews?
- conducted 40 interviews with housewives
- before and after pregnancy
- spent 9 hours
- able to build a rapport which made it more comfortable so more likely to open up about sensitive topics to do with pregnancy
How many women did Oakley interview and for how long?
40 women for 9 hours
What was Willis’ study using group interviews?
- studied only 1 group of 12 lads
- not representative
- studied their attitudes towards school and their life after school
What was William’s study using overt observation?
- observed 8 latino and black young cocaine dealers in NYC from 1982 to 1986
What was Wilmott and Young’s study using structured interviews?
- interviews 987 people in areas of London
- not general
- only 6% declined
- concluded the family has become more symmetrical
how many people did wilmott and young interview?
987 people in the area of london
Sue Sharpe used unstructured interviews, what was her study?
- studied young girls in the 1970s and 1990s and compared their attitudes
- moved from being family and love focused to careers and independence
