Problem clarifying interview
Name
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Author Note
Student number:
Tutor's name:
Group number: 6
Name of the course: Psychological Interview Skills I
Filing date: 2 July, 2023
, 1
Preparation
Personal information and situation
My conversational partner is a psychology student in her first year of university. She is
28 years old. She has already earned a master's degree in business. Thus, this is her second
attempt at higher education. The interview was conducted at the interviewee’s house to
guarantee a calm and relaxing environment.
A priori information
I learned about the interviewee’s previous choice of business education before the
interview, that it had not been effective, and that she did not love it. According to this
information, she might have experienced difficulties or been dissatisfied with her former study
area.
Possible angles to address
There are several potential themes to examine during the problem clarification
interview regarding the interviewee’s academic preference. First, explore the interviewee’s
motivations and areas of interest to learn more about what initially drew her to psychology.
Find out why she chose this study area. Second, discuss the interviewee’s long-term
professional objectives and how she sees psychology fitting into her life as a professional.
Ask her about any particular areas of interest she may have and look into possible career
possibilities within psychology. Third, examine the circumstances that drove the interviewee
to select business as her initial study area and the decisions that did not meet her
expectations. Finally, learn more about the interviewee’s support networks inside and outside
her academic institution.
Personal learning goals
Learning Goal 1: Enhancing Active Listening Skills
1. Where Am I Now? Evaluating my existing active listening abilities while considering
any difficulties limits my capacity to participate in active listening fully.
, 2
2. What is my exact problem? I have difficulties with active listening, such as my
tendency to get mentally busy or distracted by outside stimuli, which can interfere with
my ability to comprehend and understand the speaker's message.
3. Where do I want to go? I will develop improved active listening abilities by resolving the
issues raised and strengthening my capacity to fully connect with, understand, and
respond to the speaker's message.
4. How can I achieve that? Practice mindfulness exercises and reduce distractions to
help me focus and concentrate better during conversations. Use active listening
techniques to show that I am paying attention and understanding, such as
paraphrasing, reflecting, and using nonverbal cues.
5. How do I evaluate this? Regularly assess my success in avoiding distractions both
inside and outside of interactions.
Learning Goal 2: Developing efficient questioning methods
1. Where Am I Now? Consider the issue of leaning too much on closed-ended or leading
questions that may limit the depth and quality of the dialogue.
2. What is my exact problem? During a recent interview with a participant discussing their
experiences in a specific field, I asked questions that could be answered with a simple
"yes" or "no."
3. Where do I want to go? Create efficient questioning strategies that blend open-ended
and closed-ended inquiries to promote insightful discussion, critical thinking, and in-
depth topic investigation.
4. How can I achieve that? Open-ended inquiries of all kinds, including probing, reflective,
and follow-up questions, should be studied and practiced. Ensure that your open-
ended questions encourage deliberative responses and foster a deeper
comprehension of the interviewee's viewpoint.
5. - How do I evaluate this? Based on the interviewees' answers to the questions, assess
the substance and quality of their answers.
Results
Interview output
Name
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Author Note
Student number:
Tutor's name:
Group number: 6
Name of the course: Psychological Interview Skills I
Filing date: 2 July, 2023
, 1
Preparation
Personal information and situation
My conversational partner is a psychology student in her first year of university. She is
28 years old. She has already earned a master's degree in business. Thus, this is her second
attempt at higher education. The interview was conducted at the interviewee’s house to
guarantee a calm and relaxing environment.
A priori information
I learned about the interviewee’s previous choice of business education before the
interview, that it had not been effective, and that she did not love it. According to this
information, she might have experienced difficulties or been dissatisfied with her former study
area.
Possible angles to address
There are several potential themes to examine during the problem clarification
interview regarding the interviewee’s academic preference. First, explore the interviewee’s
motivations and areas of interest to learn more about what initially drew her to psychology.
Find out why she chose this study area. Second, discuss the interviewee’s long-term
professional objectives and how she sees psychology fitting into her life as a professional.
Ask her about any particular areas of interest she may have and look into possible career
possibilities within psychology. Third, examine the circumstances that drove the interviewee
to select business as her initial study area and the decisions that did not meet her
expectations. Finally, learn more about the interviewee’s support networks inside and outside
her academic institution.
Personal learning goals
Learning Goal 1: Enhancing Active Listening Skills
1. Where Am I Now? Evaluating my existing active listening abilities while considering
any difficulties limits my capacity to participate in active listening fully.
, 2
2. What is my exact problem? I have difficulties with active listening, such as my
tendency to get mentally busy or distracted by outside stimuli, which can interfere with
my ability to comprehend and understand the speaker's message.
3. Where do I want to go? I will develop improved active listening abilities by resolving the
issues raised and strengthening my capacity to fully connect with, understand, and
respond to the speaker's message.
4. How can I achieve that? Practice mindfulness exercises and reduce distractions to
help me focus and concentrate better during conversations. Use active listening
techniques to show that I am paying attention and understanding, such as
paraphrasing, reflecting, and using nonverbal cues.
5. How do I evaluate this? Regularly assess my success in avoiding distractions both
inside and outside of interactions.
Learning Goal 2: Developing efficient questioning methods
1. Where Am I Now? Consider the issue of leaning too much on closed-ended or leading
questions that may limit the depth and quality of the dialogue.
2. What is my exact problem? During a recent interview with a participant discussing their
experiences in a specific field, I asked questions that could be answered with a simple
"yes" or "no."
3. Where do I want to go? Create efficient questioning strategies that blend open-ended
and closed-ended inquiries to promote insightful discussion, critical thinking, and in-
depth topic investigation.
4. How can I achieve that? Open-ended inquiries of all kinds, including probing, reflective,
and follow-up questions, should be studied and practiced. Ensure that your open-
ended questions encourage deliberative responses and foster a deeper
comprehension of the interviewee's viewpoint.
5. - How do I evaluate this? Based on the interviewees' answers to the questions, assess
the substance and quality of their answers.
Results
Interview output
