What are the Advantages of Personal Interviews?

An interviewer asking questions generally face-to-face to other persons conducts personal interview. This sort of interview may be in the form of direct personal investigation or it may be an indirect oral investigation. This method is particularly suitable for intensive investigations.

Advantages

1. More information and that too in greater depth can be obtained.
2. Interviewer can overcome any resistance, if any, of the respondents; this interview can be made to yield an almost perfect sample of he population.

3. There is greater flexibility as questions can be restructured as when needed, especially in the unstructured interviews.
4. Observation method can supplement verbal recording of answers.
5. Personal information can be obtained easily in this method.
6. Sample control can be maintained, as non-response generally remains low.
7. Unlike mailed questionnaire, the interviewer can usually control which persons will answer the questions.
8. The interviewer can catch the respondent off-guard and thus record the spontaneous reactions.
9. The language of the interview can be changed according to the education level of the respondent.
10. The interviewer can collect supplementary information about respondent’s personal characteristics and environment, which helps while interpreting, results.