Psy 427 Cal State Northridge Andrew Ainsworth PhD 2 Many fields rely on interviews to gather information and or for decision making purposes when people are involved Psychology obviously but not just clinical Couseling Forensic Industrial Organizational Business Research Law Contractors Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 3 An interview is like a test Gather Data Make Predictions Can ascertain reliability Can ascertain validity Can be administered to groups or individuals Can be structured or unstructured Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 4 An interview is like a test Some interviews can be stand alone tests themselves Employment interviews Psychiatric Interviews Medical histories Often used in conjunction or to augment other tests Thematic Apperception Test has an interview Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 5 Establish rapport Gather information efficiently Form clinical impressions Supplement testing information Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 6 Because interviews involve interactions between people it s natural that both of the participants are affected In criminal investigations Akehurst and Vrij 1999 if the suspect become more active this leads to the interrogator to become more active and vice versa This can inadvertently lead to the suspect to be viewed more suspiciously Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 7 Other studies e g Heller 1971 have shown that when actors responded with anger to highly trained interviewers the interviewers reported becoming angry themselves This process of mutual influence during an interview is known as social facilitation Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 8 Social Facilitation We tend to act like those around us If the interviewer is tense the interviewee will be tense if the interviewer is relaxed the interviewee will be relaxed Works during interviews as well as during crisis interventions or anytime people interact for extended periods of time Also seen in social and developmental psychology Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 9 Social Facilitation Since social facilitation has a strong behavioral influence on both the interviewer and the interviewee it is easy to see that it can lead to bias in an interview A good interviewer will be aware of the power of social facilitation and remain calm and in control regardless of the interviewee s behavior Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 10 Proper attitude interpersonal influence the degree to which one person can influence another is related to interpersonal attraction the degree to which people share a feeling of understanding mutual respect similarity Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 11 Most important factor in patients evaluation of interviews their perceptions of the interviewer s feelings When the interviewer was seen as cold defensive uninterested uninvolved aloof or bored interviews were seen as poor When the interviewer was seen as warm open concerned involved committed and interested these interviews were seen as good Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 12 Responses to avoid in an interview Those that increase stress Judgmental statements Puts interviewees on guard communicates approval or disapproval of the interviewee Evaluative statements also communicates approval or disapproval may inhibit self disclosure if interviewee feels that their statements are being evaluated Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 13 Responses to avoid in an interview Probing statements should be used carefully Avoid Why questions Causes defensive responses May require respondent to reveal more than they comfortable revealing At times probing statements are necessary but should be made with care In general how s are better than why s Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 14 Poor Better 1 Tell me more about what happened Why did you yell at him 2 How did you happen to yell at him 3 What led up to this situation 1 Can you tell me what you mean Why did you say that 2 I m not sure I understand 3 How did you happen to say that 1 Tell me more about you sleeping problem Why can t you sleep 2 Can you identify what keeps you from sleeping 3 How is it that you are unable to sleep Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 15 Responses to avoid in an interview Hostile statements unnecessary if trying to gather information may be used in a stress interview but not to be done without experience in this area False reassurance Do not give a person reassurance when it is possibly unwaranted Everything will be alright Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 16 Effective Responses Open ended questions are better than closed ended questions those that cannot be answered specifically those that can be answered specifically Open ended questions promote the flow of information provide a wide range of area for the interviewee and interviewer to explore However sometimes closed ended questions are necessary e g specific info non response children etc Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 17 Interviewing skills require not only knowing what questions to ask but also how to ask them Does your baby have any problems sleeping vs What time does she usually go down for the evening Does she sleep through the night How many times does she awaken during the evening How easily does she get back to sleep When is she up for the day Is she a morning afternoon napper or just a once a day napper How long does she nap for Do you ever have to awaken her for meals Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 18 Other ways to keep interactions flowing Transitional phrases Verbatim playback Paraphrasing and restatement Summarizing Clarifying Empathizing Demonstrating understanding Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 19 Other ways to keep interactions flowing Transitional phrases I see Um hm sometimes are not effective best to back up to something relevant to what the interviewee just said Verbatim playback Repeats information that interviewee just stated Reinforces the fact that you are listening Also useful in that using the interviewee s words connects you to the interviewee Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 20 Paraphrasing Restatement rephrasing the content of what has been said reinforces the fact that you are in fact listening checks in with the client to make sure that you ve interpreted the information correctly Summarizing paraphrasing combined with reflection pulls together the meaning of several responses used to organize previous information can be used to direct the interview Psy 427 Cal State Northridge 21 Clarification asking questions to better understand statements made during interview Reflection Empathy Understanding rephrasing the feelings associated with what has