The document outlines the nature and methodology of interviews as a data collection method in psychology, detailing their types—structured, semi-structured, and unstructured—and when to utilize them. It emphasizes the importance of interviews in gaining deep insights into personal experiences, especially for sensitive or complex topics, through effective questioning and rapport-building strategies. Additionally, it covers best practices for interviewing difficult participants and the steps necessary for analyzing interview data, including transcription and familiarization with content.

1. Interviews
Presented by
Jaweria Akhtar

2. Outline:
Definition
Types of interviews
When to use interview
Asking questions
Interviewing difficult people
Analyzing interview data

3. Interviews
Interviews are a common data collection method
used by researchers in psychology. They allow
researchers to gather qualitative data from
participants.
Interviews involve a conversation between the
researcher (interviewer) and the participant
(interviewee), guided by a set of questions or
topics. They are widely used in various disciplines
like social sciences, health research, education,
and market research.

4. Purpose of Interview
• Interviews help researchers gain a deeper
understanding of participants' thoughts, feelings,
and experiences
Exploring topics
in depth
• Interviews provide a platform for participants to
share their individual experiences, which may not
be captured in quantitative data.
Gathering
unique
Perspective
• Interviews can help identify themes and patterns
that might not be apparent from other data
sources.
Uncovering
Hidden patterns

5. Conti…..
• They help unpack complex issues, as researchers can
probe for more information, clarify responses, and
explore nuances in real-time. This is especially valuable
for topics where attitudes, beliefs, or emotions are
involved
Exploring
complexity
• Unlike questionnaires, interviews allow for interaction,
which can help build rapport, making participants feel
more comfortable and willing to share openly and
honestly
Building
Rapport
• Interviews can be adapted in real-time to follow the
direction of the conversation or to address new themes
that emerge, allowing researchers to gather more
comprehensive information.
Flexible Data
Collection

6. Conti…..
• To understand participants’ personal perspectives,
emotions, and lived experiences.
• Example: Investigating how individuals cope with grief
or trauma.
Exploring
Subjective
Experiences:
• Helps researchers interpret the context in which certain
behaviors or thoughts occur.
• Example: Studying how cultural or social factors
influence mental health.
Understanding
Context and
Meaning

7. Structured Interview
Semi-structured
Interview
Unstructured
Interview

8. Structured Interviews
A structured interview is a systematic method of data collection in which the
interviewer asks a pre-determined set of standardized questions in a fixed order.
This type of interview is designed to ensure uniformity across all participants,
making it easier to compare responses and reduce interviewer bias.
Structured interviews are commonly used in research, clinical practice, job
recruitment, and educational settings, where consistency and reliability are
important.

9. Example
A researcher wants to investigate sleep patterns and prepares a fixed set of questions that they
will ask every participant.
Questions:
1. "How many hours do you usually sleep each night?“
Options for response: 4-6 hours, 6-8 hours, 8+ hours.
2. "Do you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day?“
Response type: Yes/No.
3. "How often do you experience trouble falling asleep?“
Options: Never, Sometimes, Often, Always.
"Do you use any devices (like a phone or TV) right before bed?“
Response type: Yes/No.
"On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate the quality of your sleep?"

10. Semi-structured
Interview
 A semi-structured interview is
a type of interview where the
researcher has a set of prepared
questions or topics to guide the
conversation but also allows
flexibility to explore new ideas or
issues that come up during the
discussion.
 This approach is often used in
research to gather detailed and
meaningful insights because it lets
participants share their thoughts
freely while still keeping the
conversation focused on the main
topics.

11. If you're interviewing someone about their favorite hobbies, you might start with
questions like, “What hobbies do you enjoy?” but also ask follow-up questions like,
“Why do you enjoy that particular hobby?” based on their answers.

12. Unstructured Interview
An unstructured interview is a type
of interview where there are no
fixed questions or specific structure.
The interviewer starts with a general
topic but lets the conversation flow
naturally based on what the
participant says. It feels more like a
casual conversation and allows
participants to share their thoughts
and experiences freely.

13. Example
A psychologist wants to understand how young adults feel about their emotional well-
being but does not prepare a strict list of questions. They start with a broad opening
and follow the participant’s lead.
Opening Question:
"How have you been feeling emotionally lately?“
Participant’s Response:
If they talk about stress, the interviewer might ask:
"What do you think is causing your stress?"

14. When to use
Interviews
In research psychology, interviews are
used when you want to gain deep insights
into individuals' thoughts, feelings,
experiences, or behaviors. Here are
specific situations when interviews are
particularly useful
Exploring Complex Topics
When the topic is sensitive, complex, or
subjective, and requires detailed, personal
insights (e.g., understanding trauma or
mental health experiences).
When Flexibility is Needed
If you need to adjust the questions based
on the participant's responses to gather
richer data.

15. Cont.…..
• Supplementing Quantitative Data
To provide context or deeper explanations for findings from surveys or
experiments.
• Exploring New or Unfamiliar Topics
Use interviews in exploratory research when studying areas where little prior
research exists, and there are no predefined hypotheses or frameworks.
• Ethnographic or Longitudinal Studies
In studies where relationships, trust, or long-term engagement with participants
are key, interviews help build rapport and gather authentic responses.

16. Cont.….
• Small Sample Sizes
Interviews work well for studies with
fewer participants where the focus is
on quality of information rather than
quantity.
• When Non-Verbal Cues Matter
Face-to-face interviews allow
observation of non-verbal cues like facial
expressions, tone, and body language,
which can enrich the data.

17. When are interviews most effective
compared to other methods?
Interviews are best when understanding personal or sensitive topics is essential.
• Example: Investigating trauma experiences, where surveys may not capture
emotional nuances.

18. Asking Questions
Be Clear and Concise:
Ensure the questions are easy to understand. Avoid jargon or complex terms that
might confuse participants.
Example: Instead of "Can you elaborate on the psychodynamic mechanisms
influencing your behavior?" ask, "How do you think your past experiences affect the
way you handle stress now?“
Use Open-Ended Questions:
Encourage participants to express their thoughts and feelings fully. Open-ended
questions (those starting with "how," "why," or "what") allow for richer, more detailed
responses.
Example: "What strategies do you use to manage anxiety?" instead of "Do you use any
strategies to manage anxiety?"

19. Conti…….
Be Neutral:
Avoid leading questions that might suggest an answer. Your goal is to understand the
participant’s view, not to confirm your own assumptions.
Example: Instead of "Don’t you think stress is harmful to your health?" ask "How do you
think stress affects your health?“
Be Sensitive to the Participant:
Psychology interviews often deal with sensitive topics, such as mental health, trauma, or
personal beliefs. Always be respectful, patient, and non-judgmental in your questioning.
Be Flexible:
While it's important to have prepared questions, be willing to adapt based on the flow of
conversation. If the participant brings up a relevant topic, feel free to explore it further.

20. Interviewing Difficult People
Build Rapport Early
Why: Establishing a trusting relationship helps participants feel more comfortable,
which can ease tensions and encourage openness.
How: Start the interview with a casual, non-threatening question or comment to make
them feel at ease. For example, if you're researching stress, you might begin by asking,
"How has your day been so far?"
Tip: Use active listening and validate their feelings to create a sense of respect and
understanding.

21. Conti….
Stay Neutral and Non-
Judgmental
Why: Difficult participants
may become defensive if
they feel judged or
criticized. Maintaining a
neutral stance can help
keep the interview on
track.
How: Avoid expressing
opinions or making
assumptions about what
the participant is saying.
Instead, phrase responses
like, "I understand," or
"Tell me more about that."
Tip: Use empathetic
phrases, like “I can see
how that might be
frustrating,” to
acknowledge their
feelings without passing
judgment.

22. Conti…
Use Open-Ended Questions
Why: Open-ended questions encourage the participant to express themselves in their own
words, which can provide richer data and help reduce defensiveness.
How: Instead of asking questions that could be answered with a simple "yes" or "no," ask
questions like, "Can you tell me more about your experience with…?" or "What do you think
has influenced your decision about…?"
Tip: If a participant gives short answers or shuts down, rephrase or elaborate on the question
to prompt a deeper response.

23. Stay Calm and
Professional
Why: When
interviewing difficult
individuals, it's
essential to remain
composed. If you
become frustrated,
the participant might
mirror that emotion,
making the interview
even more difficult.
How: If the
participant becomes
upset, remain calm,
breathe deeply, and
give them time to
process their
thoughts. For
example, if someone
becomes agitated,
you might say, "I
understand this is a
sensitive topic, and I
want to make sure
you feel comfortable
sharing."
Tip: If the participant
becomes emotional,
allow them time to
collect themselves
before continuing.
You might also offer a
short break if needed.

24. Steps for Analyzing Interview Data
• Before you can analyze interview data, it must be
transcribed. This means converting audio or video
recordings into written text.
• Why: Transcription makes it easier to systematically analyze
the data. It also ensures you capture the exact words of
participants, which is crucial in qualitative research.
• Tip: Use transcription software or services, or transcribe
manually if needed. Make sure to include pauses,
hesitations, and non-verbal cues (like laughter or sighs) that
may add context to the data.
Transcriptio
n

25. Familiarization
with the Data
Once you have
the transcript,
spend time
reading and re-
reading it to get
a sense of the
data as a whole.
Why: Familiarizing
yourself with the
data ensures you
don’t miss
important details
or themes that
emerge across
interviews.
How:
Read through the
entire transcript
without focusing
on individual
answers to get an
overall sense of
the content.
Jot down initial
thoughts,
impressions, and
any potential
patterns you
notice.