Review of Interviewing in social research

Abstract

Reviews the book "Interviewing in social research" by H. H. Hyman, with W. J. Cobb, J. J. Feldman, C. W. Hard and C. H. Stember (1954). The book reports a series of studies by the National Opinion Research Center. The book is not, as the name implies, a treatise on interviewing methods, but is a series of investigations into the the nature and sources of bias in the interview. The focus of the research is the interviewing survey research, although it is obvious that many of the findings can be generalized to other types of interviews, not only in social science research but wherever the interview is used as a means of collecting information. It is by far the most comprehensive and best documented book in the field. In addition to the original research contributions, the authors have done an exhaustive job in reviewing previous research in the area. This reviewer considers the book a major contribution to social science measurement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)