Disadvantages of Interviews in Research

Interviews are a staple method for data collection in qualitative research, and they are celebrated for capturing rich, nuanced insights. But beneath the surface lie potentially critical hidden flaws that could skew the information. This article delves into the key disadvantages associated with the interview process in qualitative research, particularly when conducting interviews in person, whether through structured interviews, unstructured interviews, or other interview formats.

Introduction

It is unarguable that interviews convey the densest and deepest information when it comes to data collection. While other data collection methods, such as surveys or focus groups, provide valuable insights and a wider net of information, they do not provide the deeper understanding that interviews do. Nevertheless, no method is perfect and some disadvantages can permeate and lower the quality of collected information. This can go from poor questioning like asking questions that will not give any insight into the research project or psychological effects where the interviewer unconsciously manipulates the participant's responses. Interviews are a widely used qualitative research method, offering a deeper understanding of participants’ experiences and providing valuable insights that other data collection methods, such as surveys or quantitative methods, might not capture. However, while interviews provide a wealth of qualitative data, they also come with a set of disadvantages that qualitative researchers must navigate carefully.