Fair selection decisions.

Judges were asked to fairly assign priority ratings to hypothetical candidates applying to medical school, given information about their Medical College Aptitude Test scores, grade-point averages, and group memberships (majority or minority). The affirmative action goal and the qualifications of minorities relative to majorities in the applicant pool were also manipulated. When there is no specified affirmative action goal nor differences between groups in the applicant pool, minorities and majorities are treated similarly. When either group differences in the applicant pool occur or affirmative action goals are introduced, decision makers assign higher priority ratings to minorities than to equally qualified majority applicants. When both factors are operating, minorities receive an even bigger boost. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that decision makers evaluate minority and majority candidates in the same way; differences between groups occur in the response function. Equally qualified majority and minority candidates are assigned to different categories, depending on the size of the affirmative action goal and the extent to which the two groups differ in the applicant pool. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of two orientation approaches in hard-core unemployed turnover and absenteeism.

Compared the turnover and absenteeism rates of 49 male negro hard-core unemployed hires in 2 treatment conditions and with those of 49 normal hires. The university-sponsored, quasi-therapeutic orientation proved to be less effective than the company-sponsored orientation which, although intended to be a passive, information-giving approach, proved to have a dynamic free-discussion, personal-counseling, and intervention-with-supervision character. Overall, hard-core hires were not differentiated from normal hires in terms of turnover but were characterized by significantly higher absenteeism. It is concluded that extended company-orientation programs can be superior to supportive programs led by outside professionals, and that hard-core hires provided with such orientation can be as stable employees as those hired who meet normal hiring criteria. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of varying conceptualizations of job performance on adverse impact, minority hiring, and predicted performance.

The present research explored the effects of various strategies of weighting criterion dimensions on adverse impact, minority hiring, and job performance. In particular, this research compared strategies that vary the weight of task and contextual performance dimensions in calculating a composite criterion measure, in terms of their effects on regression weights assigned to predictors and effects on adverse impact, percentage of minorities hired, and predicted performance. With a Monte Carlo simulation based on meta-analytic evidence of multiple predictor and criterion relationships, the authors illustrate how organizations might think through the consequences of varying conceptualizations of job performance in selection contexts. Approaches that simultaneously increase aggregate predicted job performance and reduce adverse impact are described and illustrated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethnicity and perceived discrimination in Toronto: Another look at the personal/group discrimination discrepancy.

Perceptions of personal and group discrimination in 5 domains (jobs, pay, loans, promotions, and clubs) were investigated via telephone interviews with 902 respondents from different ethnic groups in Toronto. The reported analyses concern 6 ethnic groups, representing "visible," racial minorities (Blacks, Chinese, and South Asians) as well as White minorities (Italians, Jews, and Portuguese). The personal/group discrimination discrepancy (i.e., perceiving greater discrimination toward one's group than oneself personally) was observed to varying extent across all domains and ethnic groups, though with some exceptions. Visible minorities perceived greater discrimination toward their group than did White minorities, especially in the economic domains of jobs, pay, and promotions. Among visible minorities, Black respondents perceived higher levels of group and personal discrimination than most other ethnic groups across domains, followed in turn by Chinese and South Asian respondents. By contrast, White minority group members perceived considerably less group or personal discrimination than members of visible minorities, except for Jewish respondents who reported greater group discrimination in joining clubs than any other ethnic group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preferential hiring of women in psychology is unwarranted and unwise: Reply to Bronstein and Pfennig.

While R. Elliott (1989) understands the principles of affirmative action espoused by P. Bronstein and J. Pfennig (1988) he does not believe they should be applied to the hiring of women in psychology. He argues that women are hired in proportion to their numbers in the applicant pool, despite some deficiency in demonstrated professional achievement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Survey on ethnic minority faculty recruitment and retention.

Summarizes responses from 209 graduate departments of psychology regarding hiring and retention of minority faculty and reasons why minority applicants may decline faculty positions. The results suggest that a more favorable atmosphere for employment of minority applicants is emerging; that a good record of research and teaching skills is a prerequisite for being hired; that for those hired, too much minority service and insufficient research activity are the most common perceived barriers to tenure; that the most common reasons given by minority applicants for rejecting an employment offer include higher salary, more preferred geographic location, and the presence of minority persons in the local community. Recommendations are provided for both minority applicants seeking faculty positions and for psychology departments wishing to attract minority applicants. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Racial group differences in employment interview evaluations.

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effect of race on employment interview evaluations. A meta-analysis of 31 studies found that both Black and Hispanic applicants received interview ratings that on average were only about one quarter of a standard deviation lower than those for White applicants. Thus, interviews as a whole do not appear to affect minorities nearly as much as mental ability tests. Results also suggested that (a) high-structure interviews have lower group differences on average than low-structure interviews, (b) group differences tend to decrease as the complexity of the job increases, and (c) group differences tend to be higher when there is a greater proportion of a minority in the applicant pool. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Practices in the recruitment and hiring of faculty for psychology departments in Canadian universities.

Investigated faculty recruitment and hiring practices of psychology departments in Canadian universities, as well as the job search experiences of recently hired male and female faculty. Questionnaires were sent to 61 departments and 105 faculty, and data from 38 completed department questionnaires and 64 faculty questionnaires were analyzed. Results indicate that the majority of psychology departments lacked complete affirmative action policies, and many lacked other specific requirements for ensuring participation by women. In spite of some deterrents to full equality, including a salary differential favoring men, it appears that women are being hired in proportion to their representation in the psychology labor force. Differences in male and female applicants that may favor the hiring of male faculty were found to be few. (French abstract) (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Academic employment: A longitudinal study of the recruiting process and hired applicants.

The current investigation provides a 5-year follow-up evaluation to a previously published study in which Klesges, Sanchez, and Stanton assessed the academic hiring process, evaluating variables that influenced the committee's decisions, and the qualifications of hired faculty in doctoral clinical and experimental programs. We surveyed departmental heads of doctoral programs or the heads of the search committees (a) to compare responses in the hiring process between experimental and clinical faculty and (b) to determine longitudinal differences between this and the earlier surveys. Results indicate that the qualifications of clinical and experimental faculty have greatly increased over the past 5 years. The proportion of faculty who have completed postdoctoral training has increased (particularly among clinical faculty), there has been an increase in the number of senior faculty hired (particularly among experimental faculty), and the publication rates of hired faculty (both clinical and experimental) have increased dramatically over the past 5 years. Informal contact (personal discussions before the formal interview) has decreased among experimental faculty. We conclude that although the number of PhDs and faculty positions have stabilized over the past 5 years, the qualifications of hired faculty have markedly changed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Effect of Applicant Influence Tactics on Recruiter Perceptions of Fit and Hiring Recommendations: A Field Study.

The present study examined the effect of applicant influence-tactic use on recruiter perceptions of fit. Two tactics, ingratiation and self-promotion, were expected to have positive effects on recruiter perceptions of fit and on recruiter hiring recommendations. In addition, the authors expected recruiter fit perceptions to mediate the relationship between applicant influence tactics and recruiter hiring recommendations. Results suggested that ingratiation had a positive effect on perceived fit and recruiter hiring recommendations (and indirectly, on receipt of a job offer). In addition, perceived fit mediated the relationship between ingratiation and hiring recommendations. The effects of self-promotion on fit and hiring recommendations were generally weak and nonsignificant. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Recruitment efforts to reduce adverse impact: Targeted recruiting for personality, cognitive ability, and diversity.

Noting the presumed tradeoff between diversity and performance goals in contemporary selection practice, the authors elaborate on recruiting-based methods for avoiding adverse impact while maintaining aggregate individual productivity. To extend earlier work on the primacy of applicant pool characteristics for resolving adverse impact, they illustrate the advantages of simultaneous cognitive ability– and personality-based recruiting. Results of an algebraic recruiting model support general recruiting for cognitive ability, combined with recruiting for conscientiousness within the underrepresented group. For realistic recruiting effect sizes, this type of recruiting strategy greatly increases average performance of hires and percentage of hires from the underrepresented group. Further results from a policy-capturing study provide initial guidance on how features of organizational image can attract applicants with particular job-related personalities and abilities, in addition to attracting applicants on the basis of demographic background. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reducing Voluntary, Avoidable Turnover Through Selection.

The authors investigated the efficacy of several variables used to predict voluntary, organizationally avoidable turnover even before the employee is hired. Analyses conducted on applicant data collected in 2 separate organizations (N = 445) confirmed that biodata, clear-purpose attitudes and intentions, and disguised-purpose dispositional retention scales predicted voluntary, avoidable turnover (rs ranged from -.16 to -.22, R = .37, adjusted R = .33). Results also revealed that biodata scales and disguised-purpose retention scales added incremental validity, whereas clear-purpose retention scales did not explain significant incremental variance in turnover beyond what was explained by biodata and disguised-purpose scales. Furthermore, disparate impact (subgroup differences on race, sex, and age) was consistently small (average d = 0.12 when the majority group scored higher than the minority group). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A causal-correlational analysis of the job satisfaction and performance relationship.

Gathered job satisfaction and performance data from about 80 newly hired female telephone operators after 1 and 3 mo work experience. This was not an experimental study, but tentative causal inferences were drawn from these longitudinal data by using a combination of cross-lagged and dynamic correlations. The overall relationship between satisfaction and performance was slightly positive, but the direction of causality was unclear. When job satisfaction was split into extrinsic and intrinsic components, the data suggest that performance causes intrinsic satisfaction and that extrinsic satisfaction causes performance. Both the type of job and the fact that these were new hires were offered as alternative explanations for these results. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Manifest and latent influence of majorities and minorities.

Compared group cohesiveness and behavioral style as mediators of majority and minority influence and tested the hypothesis that whereas majorities produce more manifest influence, minorities produce more latent influence. 96 female undergraduates, divided into majority and minority groups based on their initial judgments of the experimental issue, were asked to role play members of a jury and were led to anticipate deliberating on 2 civil cases. Ss, who were led to believe they were interacting in groups were exposed to an influence attempt by an individual who advocated either a majority or a minority position in the group. A 2?×?2?×?2 design was used, varying source status (majority or minority), group cohesiveness (high or low), and behavioral style of the influence source (high or low consistency). Results confirm the greater influence of majorities on a manifest level but not of minorities on a latent level. Both majority and minority influence were affected by group cohesiveness; neither was affected by behavioral style. Findings provide no evidence of different processes underlying majority and minority influence, consistent with a unitary model of social influence phenomena. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interviewers' perceptions of person–organization fit and organizational selection decisions.

Amodel of person–organization fit and organizational hiring decisions is developed and tested, using data from 38 interviewers making hiring decisions about 93 applicants. Results suggest that interviewers can assess applicant–organization values congruence with significant levels of accuracy and that interviewers compare their perceptions of applicants' values with their organizations' values to assess person–organization fit. Results also suggested that interviewers' subjective person–organization fit assessments have large effects on their hiring recommendations relative to competing applicant characteristics, and that interviewers' hiring recommendations directly affect organizations' hiring decisions (e.g., job offers). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Distributing prejudice unequally: Do Whites direct their prejudice toward strongly identified minorities?

Across 6 studies, Whites expressed more negative attitudes toward strongly identified racial minorities than toward weakly identified minorities. Whites who personally endorsed worldviews that legitimize the status hierarchy were particularly likely to express negative attitudes toward strongly identified minorities relative to weakly identified minorities, whereas Whites who personally rejected status-legitimizing worldviews displayed the opposite pattern. In addition, Whites' biases against strongly identified minorities dissipated when strongly identified minorities expressed strong endorsement of status-legitimizing worldviews. These studies suggest that Whites do not distribute their prejudicial attitudes equally among all members of minority groups and that some subsets of minorities (the strongly identified) might bear the brunt of racial prejudice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Organizational rewards and retention of the hard-core unemployed.

Studied the relationship between 4 organizational rewards (pay, job status, promotion, and job security) and the retention of the hard-core unemployed (HCU), using data from 114 firms involved in hiring the HCU. The level of pay and the structure of raises positively affected retention, as did promotional opportunities (the percentage of minority members in supervisory positions). In firms with primarily minority members in the work force, the greater the percentage of minority supervisors the higher the HCU retention, but in primarily White firms the opposite relationship occurred. Job status and job security also were related to retention. Based on the relative effects of program characteristics (e.g., training) and organization characteristics (e.g., pay), recommendations are made for increased emphasis on organizational factors in developing strategies for employing the HCU. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexism and Beautyism Effects in Selection as a Function of Self-Monitoring Level of Decision Maker.

The authors, in two experiments, investigated the influence of the sex and attractiveness of applicants for male and female sex-typed jobs on selection decisions made by low and high self-monitors. In both experiments, attractiveness and the congruence between applicants' sex and the sex type of the job influenced selection decisions. In addition, high self-monitors were more influenced by attractiveness and sex of the applicant when hiring for sex-typed jobs than low self-monitors, but this difference in hiring pattern was not evident when the job was gender neutral. Results indicate that job applicants may encounter different employment opportunities as a function of their sex, their physical attractiveness, the sex type of the job, and the self-monitoring level of the decision maker. Implications of results are discussed and suggestions for future research are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)