'I like this interview; I get cakes and cats!': The effect of prior relationships on interview talk

Citation

Garton S & Copland F (2010) 'I like this interview; I get cakes and cats!': The effect of prior relationships on interview talk. Qualitative Research, 10 (5), pp. 533-551. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794110375231

Abstract
Research interviews are a form of interaction jointly constructed by the interviewer and interviewee, what Silverman (2001: 104) calls ‘interview-as-local-accomplishment'. From this perspective, interviews are an interpretative practice in which what is said is inextricably tied to where it is said, how it is said and, importantly, to whom it is said (Holstein and Gubrium, 2004). The relationship between interviewer and interviewee, then, is fundamental in research interviews. But what happens when the relationship between interviewer and interviewee is not only that of researcher-informant but also involves other roles such as colleague and friend? In this article we will show how prior relationships are invoked and made relevant by both parties during educational research interviews and how these prior relationships therefore contribute to the ‘generation' (Baker, 2004: 163) of interview data.

Keywords
acquaintance interview; frame and footing; interview talk; prior relationships; research interview; teacher education

Journal
Qualitative Research: Volume 10, Issue 5