Interviewing Changes Attitudes-Sometimes

Abstract

To examine the effects of interviewing respondents were questioned about either cancer or burglary prevention in an interview, and later they received either relevant information or no information. Changes in attitudes were measured in a second interview, and the results showed that asking questions about cancer changed respondents' attitudes toward cancer, but interviewing about burglary prevention did not change attitudes toward crime. The evidence suggests that interview effects will occur when the respondent's attitudes and information are unfocused or ambiguous and the topic is important. Theoretically, this can be attributed to competence motivation and a postulated desire to maintain self-esteem in the interview situation