Sociology Essay - 966 Words

In this essay, I will assess the strengths and limitations of unstructured interviews for investigating the effect of material deprivation on educational achievement by using Item B and my own knowledge. Material deprivation is the idea that a lack of money leads to disadvantages, Item B gives an example of ‘low household income, poor housing and a lack of work space in the home.’ An advantage of unstructured interviews would be that it is very informal; therefore, the respondent is more likely to be relaxed. This would be useful when asking them about material deprivation, as it could be quite a sensitive topic to some. Using the unstructured method is good for researching sensitive topics as empathy and trust can be built easier, just†¦show more content†¦Another disadvantage would be the Interviewer Effect. This is when the interviewer may ask leading questions that provokes an answer. The age, ethnicity, nationality, tone of voice, facial expression or gender of the interviewer may also influence answers given. Because the investigation is based on educational achievement, it is likely the interviewer is going to interview pupils. Therefore, the interviewee will be young in age and most likely to be impressionable; therefore, they are most likely to be influenced on their answers. In addition, even though an unstructured interview is very relaxed, it is still an interview and is seen as an artificial conversation, in which inevitably, there will be power and status, which may lead to the interviewee giving what is seen as socially desirable answers, this is called the Halo Effect. This is when the interviewee tells the interviewer what the interviewee thinks the interviewer wants to hear. Because the research is based on educational achievement, the interviewee is likely to be younger than the interviewer is, in which case the interviewee may feel intimidated by the status divide and give socially desirable answers. However, because the interviewee may be young, they may also perform the Screw You Effect because they may not have matured. This is when the respondent gives ridiculous answers to the sociologist on purpose just to be a bother to them. Furthermore, if the unstructured interview isShow MoreRelatedSociology Essay20437 Words   |  82 PagesAS Sociology Sociology Nik Jorgensen Text  © Nelson Thornes Distance Learning 2010 Illustrations  © Nelson Thornes Distance Learning 2010 All rights reserved. The copyright holders authorise ONLY users of NTDL AS Sociology to make photocopies for their own or their students’ immediate use within the teaching context. 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