What effect do compound questions have during an interview?

Compound questions can create confusion for the interviewee, as they involve multiple queries or themes intertwined within a single question. This can lead to ambiguity in what the interviewee is responding to, allowing them to focus on only part of the question, potentially leading to deceptive responses. When an interviewee feels overwhelmed by multiple angles in one question, they may mislead the interviewer unintentionally or intentionally, as they can pick and choose which part of the question to answer, creating an environment ripe for evasion or selective truth-telling.

Clear responses are not encouraged by compound questions, as the structure complicates the interview process. Instead of providing straightforward information, the complexity can result in vague or convoluted answers. Moreover, compound questions do not necessarily reduce stress; they can actually increase it because the interviewee may feel pressured to address numerous points simultaneously. Finally, the accuracy of information is typically diminished due to the confusion caused, rather than increased, as the interviewee struggles to respond to all aspects of the question adequately.