What are "open-ended questions" primarily used for in interviews?

Open-ended questions are primarily used in interviews to encourage the subject to elaborate on their responses. This type of question invites the interviewee to provide more detailed information and express their thoughts and feelings in their own words, as opposed to limiting their response to a brief affirmation or negation. By using open-ended questions, interviewers can gain deeper insights into the subject's perspective, experiences, and emotions, which can be crucial for gathering accurate information and understanding the context of the situation being discussed. This technique helps to create a dialogue that fosters trust and openness, allowing the interviewer to gather a richer, more nuanced narrative rather than surface-level facts.