Interviewer Bias

Interviewer bias relates to aspects of the interviewers and the way in which they ask questions and respond to answers—it is distinct from bias arising from the content or wording of questions. Such bias may stem from perceptions of the interviewer’s identity.

The interviewer’s sex, ethnicity, age, attractiveness, social class, level of education, perceived life experience, or professional background may affect how participants respond to questions, especially [Page 872]where these characteristics seemingly relate to the interview topic. Linked to this is the interviewer’s ability to establish rapport with the interviewee; disclosure, especially on personal or sensitive topics, may relate strongly to the degree of rapport established.

Alternatively, interviewer bias may be due to body language or facial expression or due to paralinguistic aspects of communication such as ...