The role of gender, environment and Individual biography in shaping qualitative interview data

Abstract

Reflexivity is a key aspect of qualitative research. Considerable attention has been given to the ways in which gender mediates the production and analysis of qualitative data; however, much of this has been focused on qualitative interviews with women and the influence of the interviewer's gender in this specific context. Very little work has been done on comparing different interviewer-interviewee contexts such as male-to-female, male-to-male or female-to-male interviewing. Moreover, the interplay of gender with environmental, psycho-social and other biographical factors within the interview has received little attention. Drawing on four different studies on cancer care, work and family, and parenting, this article examines how each of these factors potentially mediate the collection of qualitative data in a range of interviewer-interviewee contexts. Moreover, it explores gender as both resource and delimiting factor, examining the use of impression management as a researcher tool to mediate potentially problematic interpersonal dynamics. It is concluded that greater attention should be paid to the complex intersectionality of gender, environmental, biographical and psychosocial factors in qualitative data analysis and write-up.

‘I don’t know what I am doing!’: Surfacing struggles of managerial identity work

“…I cannot be certain why the managers here were able to engage in such negative identity talk but it is likely that their willingness to 'open up' was influenced by my identity as a young female researcher. Indeed, the literature acknowledges the ways in which a variety of social attributes influence qualitative data production (Broom et al, 2009). Moreover, their choice to disclose their struggles is also likely to reflect the way in which the interview method is especially helpful for providing space for individuals to unveil issues of personal importance (Barley and Kunda, 2001).…”

Ethnic boundaries and boundary-making in handicrafts: examples from northern Norway, Sweden and Finland

“…In this regard, we noted that some interviewees seemed to derive confidence from the young appearance of the researcher, allowing a very open, direct and playful way of talking. In one interview, however, it was felt that too little rapport or trust was created to lead an open and deep conversation (Broom, Hand, and Tovey 2009). The conversations were audio-recorded with the interviewees' permission, transcribed and the quotes to be presented in the article were translated.…”

Engaging men with penile cancer in qualitative research: reflections from an interview-based study

“…However, as has been noted in previous literature, presenting a male interviewer to a male participant may encourage the enactment of idealised notions of manliness, for example through exertion of control and dominance (Schwalbe and Wolkomir, 2001, Broom et al, 2009, Oliffe and Mróz, 2005, which may limit rapport building and performance within the interview. Whilst there were instances where this may have occurred I was more conscious of the impact of other elements of my biography (Broom et al, 2009) These traits, along with the methods used to elicit men's narratives appeared to situate me in a role which invited men to dominate the interview, but in a non-competitive way, enabling men to relate their narratives in a manner in which they felt comfortable. In reflection I also felt comfortable with this dynamic given the sensitivity of the topic, as it enabled me to adopt a position, as an interviewer, which I perceived to be less threatening to the interviewee.…”