Beyond the existence proof: ontological conditions, epistemological implications, and in-depth interview research

2012/09/24 by Samuel R. Lucas · 1 citation
Medicine · Social Sciences · #HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk #Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics

paper · pdf · doi:10.1007/s11135-012-9775-3

openalex publication_date 2012/09/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31

Abstract

In-depth interviewing is a promising method. Alas, traditional in-depth interview sample designs prohibit generalizing. Yet, after acknowledging this limitation, in-depth interview studies generalize anyway. Generalization appears unavoidable; thus, sample design must be grounded in plausible ontological and epistemological assumptions that enable generalization. Many in-depth interviewers reject such designs. The paper demonstrates that traditional sampling for in-depth interview studies is indefensible given plausible ontological conditions, and engages the epistemological claims that purportedly justify traditional sampling. The paper finds that the promise of in-depth interviewing will go unrealized unless interviewers adopt ontologically plausible sample designs. Otherwise, in-depth interviewing can only provide existence proofs, at best.

Citations

• `How many cases do I need?'
• Representative Sampling, IV: The History of the Concept in Statistics, 1895-1939
• Sampling for qualitative research

Cited by

• Nonprobability sampling [wikipedia]

Related

• Making Interviews Meaningful
• Getting Real About Critical Realist Interviewing: Five Principles to Guide Practice
• Flexible Coding of In-depth Interviews: A Twenty-first-century Approach
• Interview-based research
• Capturing Inner Experience At Scale: An AI Interviewer Co-Developed with the Founder of a Landmark Phenomenological Method