Nondiscriminatory Questions
Janet Galloway
Professional Interviewing
October 13, 2011
Effects of Discriminatory Interview Questions and Gender on Applicant Reactions
Saks, Alan, and Julie McCarthy. 08/18/2010. "Effects of discriminatory Interview Questions and Gender on Applicant Reactions." Journal of Business and Psychology. 21.2 (2010): 175-191.
Summary: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of discriminatory interview questions on job applicant's reactions, perceptions, and job pursuit intentions (176). In the process of searching for a new job, we all go through the interview process. There have been many laws written on what questions may or may not be asked. Even with these laws in place, many employers are not clear on what is and …show more content…
The study was conducted with a role playing exercise to simulate the job interview experience as closely as possible (179). The participants were split into three groups. Each group would be asked ten questions. The control group was given ten nondiscriminatory questions. The second group was given two discriminatory questions, and eight nondiscriminatory questions. The third group was given four discriminatory questions and six nondiscriminatory questions. The participants were given information on a fictitious company and told that this company was hiring in several departments (180). Participants were then interviewed by a human resource manager, some by a female human resource manager others by a male (180). Upon completion of their mock interview, “participants were asked to respond to each item using a 7-point Likert scale ranging from, (1) strongly disagree, to (7) strongly agree …show more content…
The treatment of employees was viewed more negatively by the group that had more discriminatory questions, while the view of the treatment of employees remained similar in the other two groups. The results “revealed that ratings for reactions to the interview, intention to recommend the organization, and intention to pursue employment were significantly greater for the control group compared to the group with four discriminatory questions (p < .05). The ratings for the reaction to the interviewer and the organization's treatment of its employees were greater for the control group and the group with two discriminatory questions compared to the group with four discriminatory questions (p < .05). For job acceptance intention, the ratings of the control group were significantly higher than both of the discriminatory question conditions (p < .05)” (183). This confirms common sense, that the more discriminatory questions are asked, the more negative effect it will have on the interview.
The results on the gender issue were surprising to me. “The results for interviewer gender revealed that the attractiveness of the organization, intention to pursue employment, and job acceptance intention were higher when the interviewer was male (p < .05)” (184). This confirms other research done in this area, however leaves
Professional Interviewing
October 13, 2011
Effects of Discriminatory Interview Questions and Gender on Applicant Reactions
Saks, Alan, and Julie McCarthy. 08/18/2010. "Effects of discriminatory Interview Questions and Gender on Applicant Reactions." Journal of Business and Psychology. 21.2 (2010): 175-191.
Summary: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of discriminatory interview questions on job applicant's reactions, perceptions, and job pursuit intentions (176). In the process of searching for a new job, we all go through the interview process. There have been many laws written on what questions may or may not be asked. Even with these laws in place, many employers are not clear on what is and …show more content…
The study was conducted with a role playing exercise to simulate the job interview experience as closely as possible (179). The participants were split into three groups. Each group would be asked ten questions. The control group was given ten nondiscriminatory questions. The second group was given two discriminatory questions, and eight nondiscriminatory questions. The third group was given four discriminatory questions and six nondiscriminatory questions. The participants were given information on a fictitious company and told that this company was hiring in several departments (180). Participants were then interviewed by a human resource manager, some by a female human resource manager others by a male (180). Upon completion of their mock interview, “participants were asked to respond to each item using a 7-point Likert scale ranging from, (1) strongly disagree, to (7) strongly agree …show more content…
The treatment of employees was viewed more negatively by the group that had more discriminatory questions, while the view of the treatment of employees remained similar in the other two groups. The results “revealed that ratings for reactions to the interview, intention to recommend the organization, and intention to pursue employment were significantly greater for the control group compared to the group with four discriminatory questions (p < .05). The ratings for the reaction to the interviewer and the organization's treatment of its employees were greater for the control group and the group with two discriminatory questions compared to the group with four discriminatory questions (p < .05). For job acceptance intention, the ratings of the control group were significantly higher than both of the discriminatory question conditions (p < .05)” (183). This confirms common sense, that the more discriminatory questions are asked, the more negative effect it will have on the interview.
The results on the gender issue were surprising to me. “The results for interviewer gender revealed that the attractiveness of the organization, intention to pursue employment, and job acceptance intention were higher when the interviewer was male (p < .05)” (184). This confirms other research done in this area, however leaves