INTERVIEWING AND THE PUBLIC.

This paper, describes the results of two exploratory studies undertaken by Opinion Research Corp. (ORC) into the public relations problems in interviewing. The first project was completed in 1961 and was concerned with ORC interviewers and their perceptions of the public relations problems confronting them. The second project, completed in April 1963, was concerned with how the interviewing process is regarded by people who agree to be interviewed and people who refuse to be interviewed. Our objective in each phase was to obtain only a broad sense of the situation. The study among the public involved 105 interviews. The sample was drawn from persons who were asked to participate in a nationwide ORC study of attitudes toward the U.S. administration. It was comprised of persons who agreed to be interviewed and persons who refused to be interviewed. What is needed over the long term, however, is a continuing public relations program of broader dimensions. Such an effort should be concerned with publicity and with the development of informational materials to be used in explaining survey research and interviewing.