The Pause

You’re really interested in this concept of the pause, aren’t you?

In research, we craft our questions so they are non-leading, unlike the one I just asked. We don’t want to bias or prime anyone for a particular response. However, we can still bias responses in a number of ways, including how we respond to what an interviewee says.

There are good ways to ask neutral follow ups, such as: “tell me more.” However, the most neutral follow up can be no follow up at all. Simply pause silently, and see if the participant responds with more explanation or verbiage.

This signals that you are comfortable with silence, and allows them to think and reflect. However, many are not comfortable with silence and will fill it with more words. That isn’t necessarily bad, as what they add in addition to their initial statement may be very helpful to you. You can signal with eye contact and body language that you are engaged and interested.

So, the next time you want to learn more, try pausing, and waiting for them to say more.