Sometimes, rapport is treated as a means to an end. We try to have relaxed, natural, flowing conversations because this encourages our participants to respond more candidly. We get richer, deeper, more extensive and honest data. All this is true.
But rapport gives us something else. It helps the researcher attune to the participant’s world, and understand what is being said in light of this attunement. The goal of deep rapport is not only better data but a better understanding of the significance of that data.