Researching the researcher-as-instrument: an exercise in interviewer self-reflexivity

Abstract

Because the researcher is the instrument in semistructured or unstructured qualitative interviews, unique researcher characteristics have the potential to influence the collection of empirical materials. This concept, although widely acknowledged, has garnered little systematic investigation. This article discusses the interviewer characteristics of three different interviewers who are part of a qualitative research team. The researcher/interviewers – and authors of this article – reflect on their own and each other’s interviews and explore the ways in which individual interview practices create unique conversational spaces. The results suggest that certain interviewer characteristics may be more effective than others in eliciting detailed narratives from respondents depending on the perceived sensitivity of the topic, but that variation in interviewer characteristics may benefit rather than detract from the goals of team-based qualitative inquiry. The authors call for the inclusion of enhanced self-reflexivity in interviewer training and development activities and argue against standardization of interviewer practices in qualitative research teams.

“Learning to like learning”: an appreciative inquiry into emotions in education

“…Although we don't claim the absence of researcher bias and subjectivity, we actively practiced self-reflexivity throughout the process, through both individual and collaborative reflective sessions (Pezalla et al 2012). Furthermore, to ensure the trustworthiness of this study, we applied the principles of credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability (Lincoln and Guba 1985;Patton 2002).…”

Methodological Reflection on the Co-Construction of Meaning within the South African Domestic Worker Sector: Challenging the Notion of “Voicelessness”

“…As a core ingredient of social research, interviews usually occur between two persons (Franklin, 2012). Notwithstanding this notion, the tenure of the interview process is primarily the privilege of the interviewer as research instrument (Pezalla et al, 2012). This reflects an unequal distribution of power within the communicative relationship shaped during the interview (Henning, Van Rensburg, & Smit, 2005).…”

“…The pilot study provided an insightful learning experience. This was an empowering, interactive and humbling developmental experience for the authors (Atkins & Wallace, 2012;Bazeley, 2013;Bernard, 2013;Pezalla, Pettigrew, & Miller-Day, 2012). These initial interviews represented great leaps forward in terms of the researchers' ability in skilled engagement (Johnson & Rowlands, 2012).…”

‘Emergent reconstruction’ in grounded theory: learning from team-based interview research

“…Despite the imperative for reflexivity in constructivist methods, reflexive accounts of the process of coconstructing data and meaning in interview research are rare (Pezalla et al, 2012). We take up this challenge here by presenting excerpts from memos of three team members.…”