Interviewer Bias
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Interviewer bias means being partial where there is already a preconceived response. The impact of such partiality is that it influences negatively the results of the interview. This bias can be based on ethnicity, race, social status and gender. The attitude of the interviewer based on these groups affects the structure and phrasing of the questions directed to the interviewer (Pannucci & Wilkins, 2010).
The bias brings out a different response (Davis et al., 2010). In this sense, the interviewer, based on the questions directed to the interviewee may get information that is not truthful. The problem with being biased as an interviewer is that the outcome of the research is significantly jeopardized since the information provided may not be truthful. In this regard, the objectives of the study may not be achieved hence making it an effort in futility. Another problem with interviewer bias is that, since the data collected is not factual, the report and recommendations of the study will be misleading (Hammer, Prel & Brettner, 2010).
Therefore, to avoid interviewer bias, there is need to get into the interview with an open mind void of all prejudices. The researcher has a responsibility to ask good questions that will bring out an objective data. There is the need to test interview questions using guidelines for good questions. There is also the need for an understanding of how respondents from different backgrounds understand the interview questions and phrase them is such a way that they will be able to understand them and give the intended responses. The interview needs to be structured to avoid interviewer bias (Ziniel nd).
Avoiding prejudice will allow the interview to yield factual answers from the interviewee hence avoiding interviewer's presupposed answers. Structuring questions using guidelines will ensure that the questions asked do not provoke the respondent to lie. In this regard, the interviewer may be forced to avoid questions that may directly attack personal privacy of the respondent.