Social interaction and validity

Social interaction and validity

1. Interviewer bias

   • Interviewer may ask 'leading' questions, which 'tells' the interviewee how to answer
   • Can occur when an interviewer identifies too closely with interviewee's

2. Artificiality

   • Although unstructured interviews are relaxed, they still occur in an artificial environment
   • Doubtful whether truthful answers can be obtained

3. Status and power inequalities

   • Gender differences in power and status can shape the interview
   • Ethnic differences can shape the interview
   • In structured interviews there is more control

4. Cultural differences

   • Misunderstanding meanings given to the same words
   • Harder to detect lying

5. Socially desirability effect

   • Interviewees may give socially desirable answers

6. Ethical issues

   • Informed consent must be given
   • Interviewee's may feel under pressure to answer
   • Anonymity given

7. Improving validity of interviews

   • Follow up interviews to check answers
   • Asking Q's quickly, little time to think
   • Ethnically and language-match interviewers and interviewees
   • Pilot study