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Problematic interviewee behaviors in qualitative research
Melinda Collins1, Mona Shattell, Sandra P Thomas
1University of Tennessee, USA.
Western Journal of Nursing Research
|February 8, 2005
Summary
Problematic interviewee behaviors, like flattery or social desirability bias, are rare in qualitative research interviews. A detailed analysis of 22 phenomenological interview transcripts found very few instances, suggesting these issues are not common in this research method.
Area of Science:
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Interviewing Techniques
- Social Science Research
Background:
- Interviews are central to qualitative research.
- Existing guidance focuses on interview conduct, not problematic interviewee behaviors.
- Behaviors like flattery or social desirability response bias are under-researched.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the occurrence of problematic interviewee behaviors in qualitative research.
- To analyze instances of flattery and social desirability response bias in phenomenological interviews.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of 22 phenomenological interview transcripts.
- Detailed line-by-line scrutiny of over 300 pages of text.
- Qualitative content analysis to identify and interpret problematic behaviors.
Main Results:
- Only six potential instances of problematic interviewee behavior were identified.
- Each instance was ambiguous and open to multiple interpretations (e.g., flattery vs. gratitude).
- The study found problematic behaviors to be rare within the analyzed data set.
Conclusions:
- Problematic interviewee behaviors appear to be infrequent in phenomenological interviews.
- Ambiguity in interpreting interviewee statements necessitates careful consideration.
- Further research may be needed to fully understand the nuances of interviewee behavior.