Answered: What are the validity weaknesses of…

Social Psychology (10th Edition)

10th Edition

ISBN:9780134641287

Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers

Publisher:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers

Chapter1: Introducing Social Psychology

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 1RQ1

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What are the validity weaknesses of unstructured interviews?

Expert Solution

Step 1

Sociological researchers collect sets of data by interviewing groups of respondents. The interviews are conducted by administering either questionnaires or interview schedules. The talks are sometimes unstructured. An unstructured interview is the one in which the questions are not arranged previously by the interviewer. Unstructured interviews involved some previously decided questions that the interviewer prepares. They are mostly open-ended and informal questions and helps the respondents to open up. Questions follow these questions that the interviewer prepares according to the situation. It is a qualitative mode of data collection.

Step 2

An unstructured interview may have the following drawbacks-

These interviews are generally very time-consuming as the interviewer needs the respondent to open up and let the conversation take its course. It is the reason unstructured interviews are used mainly on smaller samples. It affects the representativeness of the sample.
The results of these interviews tend to become very biased. It is mainly because the interviewer allows the respondents to share their views and ideas. The main aim of the interview is based on the depth and viability of the latter's answers. Therefore, the outcomes often become biased.
Choosing a proper data analysis method for this type of interview is difficult because the range of the responses received is often too wide to be narrowed down. Each respondent has their ideas about a topic and lacks pre-arranged questions, and the use of mostly open-ended questions leads to the collection of a wide range of opinions and responses.
Probing is a method that an interviewer commonly uses in an unstructured interview. It might be considered unethical and end up making respondents feel uncomfortable.