I believe the main aim of this chapter is to demonstrate the importance of questions in our communication.
A few key themes I have identified are:
-the definition of a question
-where we use questions
-types of questions
– why we use questions
-the effective of questions
This chapter uses other academic sources and real life situations to back up the claims it makes. For example Hargie claims that ‘leading questions’ have a significant effect on the response of children. Hargie goes on to cite academic sources who have found evidence to support this claim as well as a case study of a child who was being interviewed during the Orkney satanic abuse crisis.
I agree with most ideas and theories suggested in this chapter. For example, I agree that using structured questioning sequences (funnel, inverted funnel, tunnel) are more effective for encouraging participation from respondents than unstructured sequences as they are easier to follow and allow for less confusion. One might disagree with the claim about the questioner being in control of the situation. To an extent they are as they get to propose the topic of conversation, however, later in the chapter Hargie states the types of responses that can be given my someone being questioned. One of the types of responses listed was called the ‘unconnected response’ where the respondent changes the subject completely. Another one listed was ‘silence’ where the person chooses not to respond. So it could be argued that these responses, among others, limit the power of the questioner.
At the beginning of the chapter, Hargie discusses the ‘Initiation- Response- Follow up’ theory. This is when teachers ask a question to their pupils who then give some sort of response for the teacher who then offers feedback on the response or build upon the given response.
Reference:
‘Finding out about others: the skill of questioning’, in Hargie, O. (2011) Skilled Interpersonal Communication: Research, Theory and Practice. 5th ed. London: Routledge.
