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And Then There Were Three: Self-Presentational Styles and the Presence of the Partner as a Third Person in the Interview

Utrecht University

As a result of a third person’s being present in an interview, the interviewee can be motivated to change his or her answer and try to present a certain impression to the interviewer and the third person. Drawing on a qualitative interview study conducted in the Netherlands and Belgium, the present study examines why partners want to be present in interviews and what self-presentational styles their spouses use when they are present. Seventeen interviews conducted with eight families were analyzed from a self-presentational framework. Some interviewees used a protective self-presentation when partners were around, only to shift to an offensive style when the partner had left. Assertive and defensive strategies were also used in joint interviews. Contrary to expectations, several couples did not adjust their opinions and made no attempt to convey the image of a harmonious marriage. It is concluded that interviewees are subject to motivation change in some cases, which can undermine the validity of the data as less information is collected.

Key Words: third persons • spouses • self-presentation • qualitative interviews • response effect

Field Methods, Vol. 16, No. 1, 3-22 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/1525822X03259228


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