Rapport refers to the ease of a relationship between people and, in the case of sociological research, between a researcher and their subjects. This can be important when it comes to getting people to open up and have the confidence to speak at length or engage in research at all. It is of particular importance with interviews, where sociologists who have the skills to build a good rapport with their interviewees are likely to get richer, more detailed data than those who are unable to break down the formal barriers of an interview situation.