interviews - topic 5 - Flashcards in A Level and IB Sociology

Different types of interview

structured/formal, semi structured, unstructured/informal, group interviews

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structured interviews

strict instructions, same standardised way (same tone, same questions, same order, word for word)

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unstructured interviews

guided conversation, freedom to vary questions, probe more deeply or ask follow up questions

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semi structured interviews

same set of questions for each interviewer, but interviewer can probe for more infromation. Additional questions where relevant, Kitsuse (1963) asked "how do you mean?"

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group interviews

a dozen or so people interviewed together. Willis (1977) used group interviews in the research of lads and schooling

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group interviews stengths

may feel more comfortable, members stimulate eachothers thinking, generate initial ideas that can be later followed up, can observe group dynamics and norms

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group interviews weaknesses

one person may dominate the group inhibiting others contribution, peer pressure to follow norms, hard to keep focused on the topi, data is more complex and hard to analyse

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structured practical issues

training is cheap, costly to email questionaires, useful for factual information, easily quantified as they use close ended making it suitable for hypothesis testing

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structured high response rate

generalisable, increasing validity, high cost of survey, more representative, people may make up answers

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structured reliability

is reliable as it is easy for it to be replicated as it is easy for the teachers to standardise and control them. Easy to compare answers

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structured validity

not valid as close ended questions restricts answers, interviewers have little freedom to explain answers, cant probe for more detail, people may lie or exaggerate

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structured inflexibility

not flexible as questions are drawn up in advance

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structured femenist critisism

Graham (1983) structured interviews are patriarchal and avoid talking about women's experience. interviewee's control the questions mirroring the subordination of women in society. treat women as isolated individuals not in oppressing relationships

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strucrtured theoretical

femenist are similar to interprevist: dont understand behaviour, attitudes and menaings, advocates the use of direct observation. positivists support the quantitative data and seeing patterns in society through data analysis

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unstructured rapport and sensitivity

interviewer develops rapport with interviewee. out them at ease so are more open increasing validity. labov (1973): study language of american black children (let children informally sit on floor) more open, useful with sensitive topics, empathetic

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unstructured interviewers view

interviewee can speak about what they think is important, interviewer can probe increasing validity

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unstructured checking understanding

make it easier to check eachothers meanings

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unstructured flexibility

highly flexible: not restricted to set questions can formulate new ideas and huypotheses

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unstructured exploring unfamiliar topics

good for exploring unfamiliar topics: open ended and exploratory,

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unstructured practical problems

takes a long time to conduct, limiting sample size so less representative, training needed for interviewers, interviewer needs good impersonal skills to establish rapport

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unstructured representativeness

small scale so not representative so cant be generalised as doesn't reflect population

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unstructured reliability

not reliable as they are not standardised: unique so cant be replicated

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unstructured quantification

cant be quantified as open ended questions with thoughts, attitudes and feelings, cant compare

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unstructured validity

due to interviewee and interviewers interaction the information obtained may be distorted

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unstructured theoretical

positivists: like to see cause and effect relationship that is quantified. Interpritevists favour this: establishes individual experiences and meanings , feminists would support

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ways social interaction can threaten validity of interviews

interviewer bias, artificiality, status and power inequalities cultural differences, social desirability effect and ethical issues (hint: CASTIE)

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social interaction - interviewer bias

leading questions, conscious or unconscious influence (voice, face expressions), identifiers too closely with interviewees e.g. oakley (1982) admitted she attached to other mothers interviewing about maternity

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social interaction - artificiality

not a normal conversation no matter if unstructured or structured - one person initiates questions - question validity

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social interaction - status and power inequalities

power imbalance interviewee and interviewer, less valid data e.g. Rich (1962) when adults interview kids, they have a need to please interviewer. Gender difference impacts interaction

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social interaction - cultural differences

misunderstanding in meanings. Meads (1943) studied adolescents in Samoa but didnt speak language so doesn't know if she was being misled/lied to

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social interaction - social desirability effect

seek to win approval. answer to be viewed in a favourable light. even if they don't understand, they may five any answer instead of none

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social interaction - ethical issues

interviewee may feel under pressure to answer questions, sensitive interviews may cause psychological harm, must ask for consent and guaranteed anonymity

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how to improve validity of interviews

kinsey (1953) ask questions rapidly so they have little time to think. Nazroo - interview in interviewees choice of language

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MIC interviews - practical issues

young people: less articulate, dont undertsand abstract concepts, shorter attention span, read body language differently, communication channels, location, time

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MIC interviews practical misunderstanding

lead to incorrect or incomplete answers (better to be unstructured)

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MIC interviews practical short attention

difficult to keep to the point. Powney and Watt (1987) - pay attention to unexpected details. Therefore training needs to be done increasing cost

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MIC interviews practical less articulate

better verbal than literacy skills so interviews may be better than questionnaires

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MIC interviews practical communication chanelling

very active communication channels, spread content of interview influencing answers reducing validity

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MIC interviews practical location

school and classroom represent higher status making kids and parents feel uncomfortable, teachers may be put of by fear of colleagues or head teacher overhearing if its a sensitive topic

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MIC interviews practical time

unstructured interviews take a long time so would have to take place outside of school hours (unethical) otherwise it will disrupt learning

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MIC interviews reliability and validity

not valid if interviewer is seen like a teacher. not reliable if personal interview due to unique individuals. is reliable if all standardised

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MIC interviews access NEGATIVE - response rate

hierarchal institutions. Powney and Watts - lower down heirarchy the interviewee is the more approvals have to be obtained. reluctant due to distruption of school, object due to topic (school reputation), parent permission may be dependant on topic.

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MIC interviews access POSITIVE

if researcher can obtain official support for study the heads may release pupils in lesson for interview increasing response rate

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MIC interviews teacher in disguise

power and status inequality, interviewees have less power so may conceal information or seek to please for approval, change their opinion if question is repeated as think that "teachers" know best. Same issue with parents -working class feel inferior

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MIC interviews improving validity

greene and hogan (2005) - use open ended, don't interrupt, tolerate long pauses, recognise that children are more suggestible (avoid leading questions), avoid repeating questions (fear of being wrong)

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MIC group interviews

influenced by other peers, conform, feel safe, reduces power imbalance, reveal interaction

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