Preventing Perceptions of "The Oppressor"

It often takes time and effort for a human services professional to build trust and rapport with an interviewee. This can be especially difficult when an interviewee superimposes perceptions of "the oppressor" onto an interviewer.

Interviewees often view those in the human services field as authority figures with the power to make decisions that affect their loved ones and their futures. A human services professional's presentation-including dress, body language, and tone-can reinforce this perception.

In this Assignment, you will analyze the need for sensitivity with regard to how you are perceived by your interviewee. You will also explore strategies that might help to reduce the perception of oppression by demonstrating your trustworthiness and building credibility with your interviewee.

To prepare for this Assignment:

Review Chapter 3 in your course text, The Helping Process: Assessment to Termination. Consider the section titled "Exercise 1: The Initial Interview-the Applicant's Perspective," which focuses on the individuals' perceptions of power roles and oppression.

Review Chapter 5 in your course text, The Helping Process: Assessment to Termination, focusing on the section titled "Interviewing Skills."

Review the article, "A Framework for Thinking About Oppression and Its Change" in this week's Learning Resources. Focus on the definition of oppression and how it might be manifest in human services interviews.

Identify and consider strategies human services professionals employ when interviewing members of oppressed populations.

The Assignment:

Submit a 1 page paper that includes the following:

An explanation of how you might be perceived as the oppressor to an interviewee. Explain two different ways in which this perception could occur.

An explanation of the strategies you might use to prevent or reduce such perceptions

At least one insight you had or conclusion you drew as a result of completing this Assignment.