Characteristic - Interview methods:

Interviewing  as a method of data collection has certain  characteristics. They are:

1. The participants  the interviewer and the respondent are strangers. Hence the investigator has to get  himself introduced to the respondent in an appropriate manner.

2. The relationship  between  the participants is a transitory one. It  has a  fixed  beginning  and  termination points. The interview  proper  is a fleeting momentary experience for them.

3. Interview is not  a mere casual conversational exchange but a conversation with  a specific  purpose viz,,  obtaining  information  relevant to a study.

4. Interview is a mode  of obtaining  verbal  answers  to questions put  verbally.

5. The interaction between  the  interviewer and the respondent need not necessarily be on a face to face  basis because interview can be  conducted over the  telephone also.

6. Although  interview is usually a conversation between  two  persons. It need not be limited to a single  respondent. It  can also  be conducted with a group of persons. Such  as family members or a group of children  or a group  of customers, depending  on the  requirements of the study.

7. Interview is an  interactional process. The interaction between  the interviewer and the  respondent depends upon how they perceive each other. The  respondent reacts to the interviewers appearance behaviour gestures facial expression and intonation his perception of the thrust of the question  and his  own personal needs. As  far as possible the interviewer should try to be closer to the  socio economic  level  of the  respondents. Moreover he should  realize that his respondents are under no obligation to  extend response. He  should  therefore be tactful and  be alert to such  reactions of the respondents as  lame excuse suspicion  reluctance or indifference and deal with  them  suitably. He should  not also  argue or dispute. He should  rather maintain  an impartial  and objective  attitude.

8. Information furnished by the  respondent  in the interview is recorded by the  investigator. This  poses a problem of seeing  that recording does  not  interfere with the  tempo of conversation.

9.  Interviewing is not  a standardized process like  that of  a chemical technician.  It is  rather a flexible  psychological  process.

The  implication of  this  feature is that the interviewer cannot  apply unvarying standardized technique because he is  dealing with  respondents with  varying motives and diverse perceptions. The extent of  his success as an interviewer is very  largely dependent upon his insight and skill in dealing with varying  socio  psychological  situations.