Interviewer Effect on the Survey Data in Lithuania: Analysis of Three Surveys

The article analyses the interviewer effect on the data of three public opinion surveys on political attitudes of the population conducted in Lithuania. The study discusses why in international comparative studies Lithuania stands out for its extremely high interviewer effect, which raises serious doubts about the reliability and suitability of the data for analysis. The article, first, reviews the reasons for the interviewer effect and the methods of its measurement and, second, presents the results of multilevel modelling. The analysis of surveys conducted by three different public opinion research agencies reveals that the interviewer effect varies significantly depending on the research agency. The hypotheses on the differences in the interviewer effect related to the nature of the questions were not confirmed, but it was found that the interviewer effect was greater on more abstract and complex questions. In the conclusions, the recommendations for researchers working with surveys on how to control the interviewer effect are provided.

Multiple Mini Interview as a Selection Tool for Initial Teacher Education Admissions

The aim of the present study was to investigate the reliability and utility of the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format in initial teacher education selections in Finland. The data was comprised of applicants’ scores in a five-station MMI (n=418), their perceptions of the validity of MMI collected using a web-survey (n=304) as well as the interviewers’ (n = 28) ratings of the utility of the MMI. Intraclass correlations (ICCs) indicated mostly small (under 10%) effects of clustering of applicants to different interviewers and to five-station circuits, but for two stations, ICCs indicated a slightly stronger interviewer effect. In the cross-classified multilevel modelling, percentages of variance in the MMI total score explained by the interviewer or the circuit were found to be low or minimal, whereas the variance component for the MMI stations was somewhat higher indicating varying levels of difficulty between stations. Associations of MMI scores with applicants’ gender or age were minimal. The applicants’ and interviewers’ perceptions of the MMI were mostly positive. Overall, the study provides evidence for the utility of the MMI as a reliable tool for initial teacher education selections.

When the Ethic is Functional to the Method

This chapter explores the methodological implications of using e-mail for qualitative interviews. It draws on computer-mediated communication (CMC) literature to remark that, contrary to generalized assumptions, technological-based anonymity does not always correspond to increased self-disclosure. Conversely, it is shown that e-mail interviews make the interviewer effect unavoidable, stimulate reflexivity and must rely on trust and equal participation more than face-to-face interviews. To address the interviewee’s resistance and avoid unwanted phenomena of strategic self-presentation, a model of interview based on a feminist ethic is proposed.