One of the biggest challenges in interview research has to do with power dynamics between the researcher and the participants. For the most part, the researcher occupies a position of power in an interview interaction. This is because the researcher directs the trajectory of the interview and will interpret the data after the interview is complete. That is, the participant loses the ability to shape the narrative after the conversation is over. Additionally, while a participant will often reveal sensitive information, the researcher does not reciprocate this act. If participants perceive themselves as subordinates, they will be less likely to fully reveal their thoughts on the topic of interest.
The most important thing to keep in mind when trying to balance the power differential is to make sure the intent of your research is clear and that you have obtained all the necessary ethical consent. Participants should never feel like you are hiding something about your research from them.
Some strategies to overcome this issue of power dynamics are outlined below:
Thick Description
The term “thick description” is used often in anthropology, but can be applied to all social sciences. When you interview participants for your study, you are not only interested in their verbal responses, but also in their behavior during the interview given the context. When writing a thick description of the interview context, consider the following: the layout of the room, the people involved, physical appearance, status symbols, style of interaction, structures governing the conversation, specific behaviors, and affect (Vanderbilt Writing Studio, n.d.).
Take, for example, the observation of a study participant crossing their arms during the interview. If a researcher were to describe this observation “thinly” they might only suppose that the movement was a shift to a more comfortable position. However, if they were to describe this observation “thickly” they would note that the act of the participant crossing their arms might indicate that they have become defensive based on the information being discussed.
You may even continue to employ strategies post-interview that demonstrate respect to participants and thus help overcome hierarchical power dynamics. This includes protecting the anonymity of the participants and representing their voices accurately in your write-up. You can read more about this in the Transcribing Your Data section.
Elite Informants
You may find yourself interviewing an “elite informant,” or someone who occupies a higher position of power than yourself. Elite informants may try to control the interview and even evaluate your expertise as the researcher. It may feel intimidating to go into interviews with elite informants, but there are a few strategies that you can use to get the most out of the conversation. First of all, you may want to flip the structure of a typical interview. That is, you can start with more open-ended questions and finish with the closed-ended questions. This lets the elite informant speak freely and feel as if they have some control over the interview process. Secondly, go into the interview with some familiarity about the interaction style of your informant and build trust beforehand. If the informant does not trust you, they may withhold certain important information. Finally, don’t hesitate to ask challenging questions. Not only will these questions reduce the power differential, but they will also provide some crucial data. Elite informants may give shallow responses or ones that reflect an official position rather than their own opinion. To get the most out of these interviews, use lots of probing questions and non-verbal cues to keep the informants talking and reveal their true opinions (Solarino & Aguinis, 2020)
Personal Project
Take a moment to consider what power dynamic might arise in your own research project. What is your relationship with your population of interest? Is there potential for power differences to have an impact on the data? If you are aware of a power dynamic from the get-go, you can take preventative measures during the interview process so that the quality of the data does not suffer. If you sense that power dynamics might get in the way of conversation, be sure to create a safe and open space from the very beginning of the interview process through its completion and beyond.
