The Art of Interviewing Starts with your Research • Identify main topic areas in your lit review = themes. • Write down these themes. Conflict becomes an experience couples share together, yet unfortunately, conflict has been stereotypically viewed as negative or unhealthy for relationships (Aeron & Pathak, 2017). Theme: conflict is often viewed as unhealthy. These diverging perceptions or views may take the form of incompatibilities between values, opinions, expectations, goals, outcomes, needs, and more (Braiker & Kelley, 1979; Ting-Toomey, 1994). Theme: causes of conflict. In early stages of a relationship where people have low interdependence, communication has greater focus on politeness and self-presentation in order to make good impressions, surface level information, and commonalities (Avtgis, West & Anderson, 1998; Communication Theory, n.d.) which may mean less initial conflict happens early in the relationship. Theme: Less conflict early in the relationship; more conflict as relationships progress. When couples find themselves in conflict, Canary et al., (2001) advocates that management can fall into two categories of conflict communication; constructive and destructive. Theme: Conflict can be seen as constructive or destructive. List of Themes from Research: •Theme: conflict is often viewed as unhealthy. •Theme: causes of conflict. •Theme: Less conflict early in the relationship; more conflict as relationships progress. •Theme: Conflict can be seen as constructive or destructive. Write down some of the themes in your paper? Types of Questions we can ask!! Open Questions •Open Questions: are broad and allow the interviewee freedom in answering. How did you two meet? What did you think of each other when you first met? Closed Questions •Narrow and restrict amount of information in the answer. Where did you meet? How long have you been with each other? Do you perceive conflict to be negative or positive in a relationship? What two qualities do you like most about each other? (moderately closed) Primary Questions •Introduce topic areas and can “stand alone” and be understood. How would you define conflict in a relationship? When you first met, did you have any conflicts with each other? Probing Questions Silent Probes – no words, just nonverbal signals to encourage talking. Nudging Probes – nudges an interviewee to reply (I see, go on, and, uh-huh) Informational Probes – questions to get additional info or explanation. Clearing House Probes – helps interviewee volunteer info that you wouldn’t have thought to ask. Neutral & Leading Questions • Neutral Questions: allow interviewees to decide upon answers. • Neutral: How do you manage conflict in your relationship? • Leading Questions: suggest the expected answer in the question. Leading: You two look like you manage conflict constructively, right? Writing Questions • Theme: conflict is often viewed as unhealthy. • Theme: causes of conflict. • Theme: Less conflict early in the relationship; more conflict as relationships progress. • Theme: Conflict can be seen as constructive or destructive. [See example Handout] Back Page of Worksheet: • Write down questions that come to mind. • Play with the different types of questions.