Abstract: Interview is an important method to collect information. This paper introduces the function, purpose, types and problems that should be paid attention to in the implementation of the interview method.
Keywords: interview method, structured interview, open interview, semi-open interview, interview outline
About the author: Cheng Yanyan (1980-), female, Han nationality, from Qianshan, Anhui Province, is now studying applied psychology in Ningxia University. Main research interests: development and education.
? Interview? The researcher? Search? 、? Visit? Be studied and engaged in it? Talk? And then what? Ask? Activities. ? Interview? It is a research conversation, which is collected from the subjects by the researchers through oral conversation (or? Architecture? ) the research method of first-hand information.
1, the role and main purpose of the interview
1. 1 interview function
To sum up, the interview mainly has the following functions:
(1) Understand the thoughts of the interviewees, including their values, emotional feelings and behavioral norms;
(2) Understand the interviewees' past life experiences and related events they heard and witnessed, and understand their explanations of these events;
(3) Have a broader and more holistic view of the phenomenon studied, describe the event from multiple angles and describe the process of the event from multiple angles;
(4) To provide guidance for research, we need to know in advance which questions can be further questioned and which are sensitive and need special care.
1.2 purpose of the interview
Interviews are mainly used for three purposes. First of all, it is an exploration mechanism, which can determine variables and relationships, put forward assumptions and guide other stages of research. Second, it is the main tool of research. In this case, the questions included in the interview program are designed to test the research variables. These problems can be used as items in measurement tools, not just as means of information collection. For example, it can be used when determining the items in questionnaire preparation. Thirdly, interviews can be used as a supplement to other methods: tracking abnormal results, verifying other methods, and deeply understanding the motives of respondents and the reasons for their reactions.
2. Type of interview
There are three kinds of interviews: closed, open and semi-open. These three types are also called. Structure type? 、? No structure? And then what? Semi-structured .
In the closed interview, the researcher plays a leading role in the direction and steps of the interview, and conducts the interview according to a unified questionnaire with a fixed structure designed by himself in advance. In this kind of interview, the standards and methods of selecting interviewees, the questions asked, the order of asking questions and the recording methods are standardized, and the researchers ask all interviewees the same questions according to the same procedure.
On the contrary, there are no fixed interview questions in open interviews, and researchers encourage respondents to express their views in their own language. The purpose of this kind of interview is to understand the issues that the interviewees think are important, their views on the issues, their interpretation of the meaning, the concepts and expressions they use. In an open interview, the interviewer only plays an auxiliary role, trying to let the interviewee associate freely according to his own ideas. The interview format is eclectic, and the interviewer can improvise according to the situation at that time.
In the semi-open interview, researchers have some control over the interview structure, and also allow the interviewees to actively participate. Usually, researchers will prepare a rough interview outline in advance, so that respondents can actively participate. However, the interview outline is mainly a reminder. The interviewer encourages the interviewee to ask questions at the same time, and adjusts the interview procedure and content according to the specific situation of the interview.
3. Preparation before the interview
Before the interview, researchers should make some necessary preparations, which usually include: selecting the interviewee, determining the interview time and place, establishing the interview relationship and designing the interview outline.
3. 1 Determine the interview time and place
Generally speaking, the time and place of the interview should be as convenient as possible for the interviewee. On the one hand, it is a respect for the interviewee, on the other hand, it also makes the interviewee feel relaxed and safe in the place and time he chooses, and can express himself more freely.
When making initial contact with the interviewee, the researcher should negotiate the frequency and duration of the interview with the interviewee. Generally speaking, a more adequate process of collecting interview materials should include more than one interview; The time for each interview should be more than one hour, but it is best not to exceed two hours.
3.2 Negotiation related matters
The success of the interview depends largely on the relationship between the interviewer and the interviewee, and the establishment and maintenance of the interview relationship depends largely on the understanding reached by both parties on related matters. Generally speaking, the interviewer should introduce himself and his topic to the interviewee before the interview, and negotiate with the other party on language use, conversation rules, voluntary principle, confidentiality principle and recording.
3.3 Design the interview outline
Although open and semi-open interviews require greater freedom of expression, interviewers usually design an interview outline in advance before starting the interview. This outline should be thick, listing the main issues that the interviewer thinks should be understood and the scope of the interview should be covered. Interview questions are different from research questions. The latter is extracted from the research phenomenon, and researchers still have questions, while the former is to answer the latter. Therefore, the interview questions should be easy to understand, concise and practical. The interview outline should be as concise as possible, preferably only one page, which should be clear at a glance.
3.4 Other preventive measures
In addition to the above points, the interviewer should also consider the following aspects: recording the interview content, observing and explaining the nonverbal behavior of both parties, and choosing the appropriate way to end the interview.
(1) interview recording method
Interview records play a very important role in interview methods. Because the purpose of interview research is to capture the interviewee's own language and understand the way they construct the world, it is best to record the interviewee's conversation verbatim. If possible, the interviewer should record or video the interview on the spot. If the conditions do not allow, the interviewer should make a detailed record of the interview content.
There are generally four ways of on-site recording: content-based recording, observation-based recording, method-based recording and content-based recording. ? Content-based recording? It records what the interviewee said in the interview, which is especially important when it can't be recorded. ? Observation records? Write down what the interviewer sees, such as the interview site and surrounding environment, the interviewer's clothes and expressions. ? Methodological record? It records the methods used by the interviewer himself and their influence on the interviewer, the interview process and the results. ? Introspective record? Write down the personal factors of the interviewer, such as gender, age, occupation, appearance, clothing, manners, attitude and so on.
(2) Non-verbal behavior in the interview
In the interview, both sides of the conversation have not only verbal behaviors, but also various nonverbal behaviors, such as appearance, clothes, movements, facial expressions, eyes, interpersonal distance, the length of speaking and silence, the volume of speaking, audio and sound quality. Non-verbal behaviors of both parties can provide a lot of important information that verbal behaviors cannot provide. The nonverbal behavior of the two parties in conversation can show their attitude, relationship and interaction more powerfully than the verbal behavior.
The interviewee's nonverbal behavior can not only help the interviewee to understand the other person's personality, hobbies, social status, education level and psychological activities, but also help the interviewee to understand his own language behavior in the interview.
(3) The closing work of the interview
When should the interview end? This is a common problem in interviews. The general suggestion is: the interview should be conducted in a good atmosphere, so if the interview has exceeded the pre-agreed time, the interviewee is tired, the pace of the interview becomes a bit slow, and the interview environment is changing in an unfavorable direction (such as the interviewee has visitors), the interview should be ended immediately. The interviewer should be good at reading and speaking, and end the interview at an appropriate time.
How should the interview end? This is also a question of interview method. The usual advice is to end it as easily and naturally as possible. The interviewer can intentionally give the other party some verbal and behavioral hints, indicating that the interview can be over and prompting the other party to say what they particularly want to say.
4. A brief comment on interview methods.
When the interview outline is carefully conceived, a lot of information can be obtained in an interview, and it is very flexible and suitable for individual cases. When other methods are not feasible and applicable, interviews are often used.
The main shortcomings of the interview and the procedures accompanying the interview are very realistic. Interviews are time-consuming. It takes an hour or two to collect information from the interviewees. A lot of time costs consume both energy and financial resources. Therefore, interviews should not be used when there are more economical ways to meet the research objectives.
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