Qualitative Interviewing Approaches in Social Research

Qualitative interviewing encompasses a spectrum of techniques designed to elicit rich, contextualised insights into social phenomena. Approaches range from unstructured conversations, which allow participants to guide narratives, to semi-structured interviews, where a flexible framework ensures coverage of core topics. Central to modern practice is the recognition of power dynamics between interviewer and interviewee, calling for reflexivity regarding positionality, ethics and representation. Scholars distinguish doxastic styles, focused on capturing lived experiences, from epistemic styles that emphasise co-construction of meaning. Emerging methods such as deliberative interviews foster equal partnership by inviting participants to debate or problem-solve in dialogue with the researcher. Ethical attention has sharpened around recruitment, particularly for key informant and elite interviews, where gatekeeping and unequal access can skew perspectives. Probing techniques form another key tool, employing targeted prompts to deepen narrative detail and clarify ambiguous responses. Recent methodological scholarship foregrounds intersectional sampling to ensure diversity, iterative recruitment strategies to maintain rigor, and systematic frameworks for structuring complex interview campaigns. Globally, these approaches inform policy evaluation, public health studies, organisational research and the analysis of power structures, demonstrating their wide-ranging practical utility.

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Qualitative Interviewing Approaches in Social Research publication trend

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Technical terms

Semi-structured interview: An interview guided by a flexible question schedule allowing exploration of emergent topics.

Key informant interview: A targeted interview with an individual possessing specialised knowledge or access relevant to the research question.

Doxastic interview: A style prioritising understanding of participants’ experiences and beliefs.

Epistemic interview: An approach emphasising co-construction of knowledge between researcher and interviewee.

Deliberative interview: A debate-oriented format requiring pre-interview briefing and interactive discussion to generate novel insights.

Probing: The use of specific prompts to encourage elaboration, clarification or deeper reflection on earlier responses.

Reflexivity: The researcher’s critical self-examination of their influence on the research process and outcomes.

Intersectional sampling: A recruitment strategy informed by intersectionality theory to ensure representation of diverse social categories.

References

1. Balancing between reality, ideality, and equity: critical reflections from recruiting key informants for qualitative health research. BMC Medical Research Methodology (2024).
2. From Doxastic to Epistemic: A Typology and Critique of Qualitative Interview Styles. Qualitative Inquiry (2018).
3. Revisiting the un/ethical: the complex ethics of elite studies research. Qualitative Research (2020).
4. Probing in qualitative research interviews: Theory and practice. Qualitative Research in Psychology (2023).