Describe four characteristics of qualitative interviews. What are the specific features for each of ...

●   Generally, qualitative interviews involve one or more people being present and are informal and nondirective (i.e., the respondent may take the interview in various directions).
●   Qualitative interviews involve a mutual sharing and mutual discovery of experiences where a researcher might share his or her background to build trust and encourage the informant to open up, but does not force answers or use leading questions.
●   Study participants express themselves in the forms in which they normally speak, think, and organize reality; the focus is on the members’ perspectives and experiences.
●   Qualitative interviews can occur in a series over time, whereby a researcher begins by building rapport and steering conversation away from evaluative or highly sensitive topics until intimacy is established and then later on, once intimacy has been established, probes more deeply into sensitive issues and seeks clarification of less sensitive issues.