Intervjuformen

Intervjuformen, or the interview form, refers to a family of qualitative data collection approaches in which information is gathered through direct dialogue between an interviewer and one or more respondents. It is used across disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, market research, and journalism to explore people’s experiences, meanings, and perspectives in depth. The method emphasizes interaction, context, and the co-construction of knowledge between participant and interviewer.

The interview can be structured, semi-structured, or unstructured. Structured interviews use a fixed set of questions with limited deviation, allowing easier comparison across respondents. Semi-structured interviews follow an interview guide with core questions but permit probes and flexible sequencing to pursue relevant topics. Unstructured interviews are more open-ended, aiming for a conversational flow that reveals rich, nuanced narratives. Specialized varieties include narrative interviews, which focus on life histories, and life-world or phenomenological interviews, which explore everyday experiences from the participant’s viewpoint.

Implementation typically involves careful planning: defining research questions, selecting participants, obtaining informed consent, and ensuring confidentiality and ethical handling of data. An interview guide or topic list helps maintain focus while allowing flexibility. Data collection commonly involves audio or video recording and thorough transcription. Analysis often uses qualitative techniques such as thematic analysis, content analysis, or discourse analysis to identify patterns, themes, and insights.

Strengths of the intervjumformen include depth, context, and flexibility, enabling exploration of complex experiences. Limitations involve potential interviewer bias, social desirability effects, limited generalizability, and resource intensity due to transcription and analysis. The method relies on skilled interviewing and rigorous ethical practices to produce credible, transferable findings.