No Interpretation
Also known as: Paraphrasing Bias, Reflective Listening Violation
The rule prohibiting summarizing, paraphrasing, or validating interviewee responses during an interview.
Full Definition
Phrases like 'So you're saying that…' or 'It sounds like the main issue is…' feel empathetic but impose the interviewer's meaning on the interviewee's words. The interviewee tends to accept the interpretation — even if it was wrong — and all subsequent answers build on the interviewer's frame rather than their own. Factual clarification without added meaning is permitted.
Example
Interviewer says 'So the bottleneck is really the approval process?' The interviewee says 'Yes, exactly' — even though they had been describing something more nuanced. The interviewer's interpretation has now replaced their actual experience.