An interview study is a typically qualitative research method that collects information directly from participants through structured, semi-structured, or unstructured conversations.
Researchers use interviews to explore people’s experiences, perspectives, beliefs, behaviors, or interpretations in greater depth than is typically possible with surveys alone.
Interview studies are commonly used in psychology, sociology, healthcare, education, business, and other fields that examine human experiences and perspectives.
How do interview studies work?
Researchers ask participants a series of questions related to a research topic and analyze their responses for themes, patterns, or differences. Participants may be selected because they have experiences or characteristics that are particularly relevant to the research question.
A study may use structured interviews with standardized questions, semi-structured interviews that allow follow-up questions, or unstructured interviews that develop more freely around the topic.
An interview study may involve:
Conducting interviews in person, by phone, or online
Using structured questions or allowing the conversation to develop more freely
Asking participants to describe experiences, opinions, or behaviors
Recording and transcribing interviews for analysis
Identifying recurring themes or patterns across responses
Comparing perspectives across different participants or groups
Asking follow-up questions to clarify or explore responses in greater depth
For example, researchers might interview patients about their experiences with healthcare, teachers about challenges in the classroom, or employees about how workplace changes affected them.
Strengths of interview studies
Interview studies allow researchers to:
Explore experiences and perspectives in depth
Ask follow-up questions when more detail is needed
Clarify questions or responses during the conversation
Capture context and nuance that may be difficult to measure with fixed-response surveys
Investigate complex or sensitive topics
Identify themes or ideas that may not have been anticipated in advance
Understand how participants interpret their own experiences
Interview studies can provide detailed insight into how people think, feel, and experience a particular topic or situation.
Limitations of interview studies
Interview studies often involve relatively small or specific groups of participants, so findings may not represent a broader population.
Responses may also be influenced by participants’ memory, willingness to share information, or desire to present themselves in a certain way.
The way questions are asked and how researchers interpret responses can also introduce bias. The interaction between the interviewer and participant may influence what participants say or how they express their experiences.
Because interview studies typically focus on participants’ reported experiences and perspectives, they generally cannot establish cause-and-effect relationships on their own.