What if interviews don’t just reveal what we think… but actually change it?

What if interviews don’t just reveal what we think… but actually change it?

From Psychologically Speaking with Leila Ainge by Decibelle Creative

April 11, 2026 · 11 min

About this episode

This episode explores how interviews can actively shape thoughts and understanding rather than merely capturing existing beliefs.

We often assume interviews are a way of capturing what people already think. But qualitative psychology suggests something different. Interviews can be active sites of meaning-making, where thoughts are not just shared, but formed in real time. Drawing on ideas like the double hermeneutic from Anthony Giddens and reflexive approaches to qualitative research, I reflect on what it means to ask questions that might shift how someone understands their own experience. As an insider researcher studying online communities I belong to, this raises a deeper question: what trace does research leave behind? This episode explores: Why interviews are not neutral data collection tools How questions can shape reflection and self-understanding The role of reflexivity in qualitative research The ethical tension between insight and influence What happens when someone thinks something for the first time… out loud If you’re a researcher, writer, coach, or simply curious about how we make sense of our experiences, this episode invites you to listen a little more closely to the pauses.

People in this episode

Host: Leila Ainge

Topics covered

  • qualitative research
  • interviews
  • meaning-making
  • reflexivity
  • self-understanding
  • ethical considerations

Keywords

  • qualitative psychology
  • double hermeneutic
  • reflexive approaches
  • data collection
  • ethical tension
  • self-reflection

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