A decision process model for predicting job preferences.

Surveyed the decision processes of a set of job applicants to predict job choice behavior. 28 graduate business students constructed decision models in the form of a discrimination net by weighting the relative importance of a large number of job attributes. The models reflected decisions that were made when determining whether or not a job offer was acceptable. This discrimination net survey classified jobs into either an acceptable category or a rejected category for each applicant. A comparison of discrimination net predictions of acceptable category occupations with real job acceptances revealed 23 correct predictions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of applicant's sex and difficulty of job on evaluations of candidates for managerial positions.

To investigate the influence of sex-role stereotypes on evaluations of candidates for managerial positions, 235 male undergraduate business students evaluated job applicant forms which differed only in the male or female name given to the applicant. Findings confirm that sex-role stereotypes influence evaluations of applicants and selection decisions. Male applicants were accepted more frequently than equally qualified females, and were evaluated more favorably on general suitability, potential for long service, and potential for fitting in well in the organization. Also supported was the hypothesis that job demands have differential effects on evaluations of male and female applicants. Females were given lowest acceptance rates and poorest evaluation for "demanding" managerial positions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Defining a "fair" or "unbiased" selection model: A question of utilities.

Describes a general selection model for selecting minority and majority applicants. The procedure consists of assigning utilities or losses to the "consequences" of selection decisions and deriving acceptance scores which maximize (minimize) the expected utility (loss). The question of "unfair" selection arises when applicants do not agree with the institution's utility (loss) assignment. 5 recently proposed models of fair selection are viewed in terms of an expected loss model and are shown to be procedures which implicitly assign loss values. It is concluded that utility (loss) values are always present in a selection problem, whether assigned explicitly or implicitly. Further, since applicants will probably never agree on a utility structure there cannot be a universal, fair, selection procedure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex and physical attractiveness of raters and applicants as determinants of resumé evaluations.

110 male and female student "interviewers," classified as either high, moderate, or low on physical attractiveness, evaluated 12 bogus job applicants for whom sex, physical attractiveness, and qualifications had been varied. A 2?×?3?×?2?×?3?×?2 analysis of variance was computed, with the 1st 2 variables (interviewer sex and attractiveness) constituting between-group factors, and the last 3 variables (applicant sex, attractiveness, and qualifications) constituting repeated measures factors. Regardless of interviewer sex and attractiveness, highly qualified applicants were preferred over poorly qualified applicants, male applicants were preferred over female applicants, and attractive candidates were preferred over unattractive candidates. Discrimination in employment decisions was attributed to sex-role and physical attractiveness stereotypes. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What mediates sex discrimination in hiring decisions?

Bogus resumes were evaluated by 212 business professionals to discover what mediates sex discrimination in hiring decisions. We hypothesized that discrimination against women and men who applied for stereotypically "masculine" and "feminine" jobs, respectively, could be reduced by providing individuating information suggesting that the applicant was an exception to his or her gender stereotype and possessed traits usually associated with the opposite gender. We also hypothesized that individuating information consistent with stereotypes about an applicant's gender would decrease the probability that an applicant would be evaluated favorably for a job usually considered appropriate for the other gender. We found that individuating information eliminated sex-typed personality inferences about male and female applicants and affected applicants' perceived job suitability; however, sex discrimination was not eliminated. We suggest that sex discrimination is mediated by occupation stereotypes that specify both the personality traits and the gender appropriate for each occupation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Looked over or overlooked? Prescreening decisions and postinterview evaluations.

Past research indicates that interviewers' initial impressions of job applicants affect their subsequent evaluations. These findings, however, come either from naturalistic studies that do not control for the applicants' qualifications or from laboratory experiments that cannot assess what occurs in real interviews. The present study examined preinterview impressions and postinterview evaluations in the context of prescreening decisions. Job applicants who were prescreened into interviews were judged more favorably by recruiters than applicants who were not prescreened. Because many applicants were prescreened by some organizations and not by others, the authors were able to control for applicant qualifications and show that the same individuals were rated more favorably when prescreened than when not prescreened. Finally, the results ruled out the possibility that findings simply reflect accurate preinterview assessments of applicant-job "fit." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A standardized interviewing technique for evaluating postgraduate training applicants

In an effort to streamline the personal interview and to reduce the influence of subjectivity inpreparation of ranking lists for postgraduate year-one applicants, a standardized interview was constructed for use in evaluating condidates for admission to a training program in internal medicine. The interview was conducted in a uniformly structured manner by 14 interviewers of 260 applicants. Each applicant received an interview score which correlated well with the final decision of the Intern Selection Committee. For each interviewer various measures of performance were obtained which allowed a classification into "hard" versus "easy" interviewer and indicated the comparability of each interview's evaluations with the final decisions. Thus, the standardized interview resulted in quantifiable data in the form of uniform evaluations of applicants and interviewers.     

Decision processes in personnel selection.

Reviews some of the research on decision making in personnel selection, with special attention to the greater weighting of unfavorable information in selection decisions and to the nature of causal attributions in the personnel interview. A 2-stage selection model is proposed in which decision makers first make attributions about the applicant and then categorize the applicant either as matching or not matching the dimensions of the category "good worker" as determined by deviance from the prototype "ideal worker." The attribution process ends when sufficient dimensions have been evaluated to provide a match or mismatch, and the length of the process should vary as a function of such factors as the number of dimensions, their clarity and specificity, and the accountability of the decision maker. It is suggested that job applicants perform a parallel decision-making process to match their needs and the perceived ability of the organization to meet them. (French abstract) (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Faking behavior and gender differences on a new personality research instrument.

Faking behavior was studied by comparing the personality profiles of 161 job applicants (motivated to be hired) with those of a control group of 73 graduate and undergraduate business students (motivated to obtain personal information for their own enlightenment). 44% of the Ss were female. Both groups were instructed to describe themselves honestly while completing the Self-Perception Test. Applicants did "fake good," scoring significantly higher on 10 of 11 scales; variance was significantly lower among applicants on 7 scales. Gender differences, consistent with cultural stereotypes, occurred on 5 scales. Overall profile shapes were virtually identical for student and applicant groups, suggesting that faking may not have dramatically altered the essence of the personality constructs. The scales of the test were found to have high reliability. Scale independence is discussed in relation to the 5-factor model of personality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of a rolling admission policy on a medical school's selection of applicants

PURPOSE: As the University of Kentucky College of Medicine (UKCM) employs a rolling admission policy, this study was designed to determine (1) whether the month during which applicants were considered by the UKCM admission committee was associated with admission status, (2) whether applicants considered early in the process differed in selected academic and noncognitive pre-admission characteristics in comparison with later applicants, and (3) what the importance of the month of the applicant's consideration was relative to other predictors of admission to UKCM. METHOD: The application files and admission committee's minutes regarding 302 applicants who received interviews during the 1993-94 application cycle were examined. Data reviewed included each applicant's gender, age, geographic origin, undergraduate science and non-science grade-point averages, and Medical College Admission Test scores; the date of consideration by the committee; interviewers' ratings; the initial motion on the applicant; and the final admission status. RESULTS: The findings indicate that the applicants considered earlier were significantly more likely to gain admission. However, upon assigning the applicants to three groups according to the month of consideration, no difference in academic qualifications was found. Regression analyses revealed that despite the effect of time of consideration, noncognitive characteristics related to UKCM's mission also predicted admission decisions. CONCLUSION: This study provides useful information to admission committees reviewing the effect of a rolling admission policy, as well as to applicants and premedical advisors, who should be aware of the potential importance of submitting applications in a timely manner.     

Gender, age, and race differences on overt integrity tests: Results across four large-scale job applicant datasets.

Group differences on overt integrity tests were examined. Gender, age, and race differences were investigated using 724,806 job applicants. Women scored higher on overt integrity tests than men. There were very small differences between older job applicants (40 years old and older) and younger job applicants (younger than 40). No appreciable age-gender interactions were detected. Race differences were examined by comparing mean scores of Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and American Indians with those of Whites and were found to be trivial. Implications for adverse impact, test construction, and personality measurement are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of response distortion on preemployment personality testing and hiring decisions.

Response distortion (RD), or faking, among job applicants completing personality inventories has been a concern for selection specialists. In a field study using the NEO Personality Inventory, Revised, the authors show that RD is significantly greater among job applicants than among job incumbents, that there are significant individual differences in RD, and that RD among job applicants can have a significant effect on who is hired. These results are discussed in the context of recent studies suggesting that RD has little effect on the predictive validity of personality inventories. The authors conclude that future research, rather than focusing on predictive validity, should focus instead on the effect of RD on construct validity and hiring decisions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward an Explanation of Applicant Reactions: An Examination of Organizational Justice and Attribution Frameworks

This study used the organizational justice and attribution theory frameworks to understand the processes by which applicants perceive and react to selection procedures and decisions. Actual applicants were studied at two stages in a selection process (i.e., pre-application and post-offer). Interactions between process and outcome fairness were observed for intentions (recommendation and reapplication) and self-assessed performance. Although the form of the interaction was specific to each measure, in general fair procedures resulted in more favorable perceptions, and this become more pronounced when individuals also perceived fair outcomes. An interaction was also observed for process fairness and the actual selection decision; self-efficacy was lowest for those who were selected and perceived unfair procedures. The causal attributions for the selection decision were related to intentions and self-perceptions, and applicants demonstrated self-serving biases, but only when procedures were perceived as fair. Potential links between the organizational justice and attribution frameworks were also examined. Both frameworks were found to provide insight into the psychological processes that influence applicants' intentions and self-perceptions. Copyright 1997 Academic Press.     

Influence of applicant's dress on interviewer's selection decisions.

Investigated the effect of female applicants' dress on interviewers' selection decisions for management positions by having 77 personnel administrators view videotaped interviews of 4 applicants in different costumes and make hiring recommendations for each applicant. Three-way ANOVA was used to determine the effect of costume on hiring decisions independent of the effects of person, sequence of showing, and costume?×?person interaction. Results confirm that masculinity of the female applicant's dress had a significant effect on interviewers' selection decisions. There was a positive relationship between masculinity of the applicant's costume and favorability of hiring recommendations received by the applicants. The influence of person on selection decisions also was significant. It is concluded that female applicants' clothing is an avenue for influencing the selection decision for management positions. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The nature of stereotypes: A comparison and integration of three theories.

In the present research we examined predictions derived from the following three theoretical approaches to stereotyping: complexity-extremity theory, assumed characteristics theory, and expectancy-violation theory. In order to assess these predictions, we manipulated the race, personal appearance, and dialect style of target job applicants. White judges rated these applicants of a set of characteristics relevant to hiring decisions. Results were consistent with all three theories. Specifically, the range of judges' evaluations of black applicants was larger than the range of their evaluations of white applicants; the effects of personal appearance and dialect style were larger that the effects of race; and black applicants, on average, received more favorable ratings than white applicants. We present a model integrating all three perspectives, and we demonstrate its usefulness for explaining our results and for understanding past research on stereotypes. (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)     

Prediction of screening decisions in a medical school admission process

To study and predict a set of screening decisions in a medical school admission process, a stratified sample (n = 864) was drawn to represent the range of applicants to the Yale University School of Medicine during a single year. A smaller sample from the following year's applicants was drawn in a similar fashion for purposes of cross-validation. Prior to the prediction of screening decisions, a set of independent variables was selected by a factor analytic procedure from credentials in an applicant's admission folder. These folder variables ranged in nature from quantitative measures of academic performance to demographic information and types of extracurricular activity. Two multivariate statistical procedures, Sonquist's Automatic Interaction Detection (AID) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), were used to predict screening decisions. Measures of academic performance and ability proved to be the most effective predictors of screening decision, as evidenced in the final AID tree and the discriminant function.     

A "change-of-standard" perspective on the relations among context, judgment, and memory.

Conducted 3 studies that tested a "change-of-standard" perspective on the relations among context, judgment, and recall. Each study consisted of 2 or 3 sessions held a few days apart. All Ss read about the sentencing decisions of 1 or 2 target trial judges and of 6 nontarget trial judges who consistently gave either higher or lower sentences than the target judge(s). Each study varied both the standard that was available when Ss initially judged the sentencing decisions of a target judge and the standard available when subjects subsequently recalled those decisions. To accomplish this, we varied the context of judgment, the timing of judgment, and the overall category norm for trial judges' sentencing decisions that was available at recall. We found that although Ss had been exposed to the same target information and had initially judged it in the same way, their recall of the information was different depending on whether and how a change-of-standard had occurred between judgment and recall. Unique predictions of the change-of-standard perspective were confirmed that could not be accounted for in terms of other types of context effects on judgment and memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Confirming first impressions in the employment interview: A field study of interviewer behavior.

Examined behavioral styles used by interviewers to confirm their 1st impressions of job applicants. Three interviewers in a corporate setting formed 1st impressions based on application blank and test score information. They then conducted audiotaped interviews. Coders independently coded 79 interviews and found that 1st impressions were related to confirmatory behavior. Interviewers followed up positive 1st impressions, for example, by showing positive regard toward applicants, "selling" the company and giving job information, and gathering less information. Applicants' communication style and rapport with interviewers also differed. Significant differences in confirmatory behaviors also occurred among the 3 interviewers. A number of interviewer behaviors, especially positive regard, were related to applicant behavior in interviews. Although previous studies of expectancy confirmation have produced mixed results, the present results suggest that interviewers in natural settings do use confirmatory strategies, underscoring the importance of additional research on "self-fulfilling prophecies." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Accountability and helping: When needs exceed resources.

Examined the possibility that when clients' needs exceed available resources, making a helping agent accountable to either the provider or recipients of resources impairs helping. To test this prediction, a bogus service agency was created in which 66 male university students allocated financial resources among 6 financial aid applicants. Accountability was manipulated by telling some Ss that immediately after allotting grants they would report their decisions to a representative of the agency (provider accountability); others were told that they would report their decisions to all 6 applicants (recipient accountability); still others were told that their decisions would remain entirely confidential (no accountability). Sufficiency of resources was varied by setting the S's financial aid budget at a level that was either more or less than adequate to meet all applicants' needs. As predicted, when applicants' needs exceeded resources, accountability led to less effective use of resources than did no accountability. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)