ArticlePublisher preview available

Exploring the Handshake in Employment Interviews

Authors:
Greg L. Stewart
Greg L. Stewart
Greg L. Stewart
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Susan L. Dustin
Susan L. Dustin
Susan L. Dustin
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Murray R. Barrick
Murray R. Barrick
Murray R. Barrick
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Todd C. Darnold
Todd C. Darnold
Todd C. Darnold
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Read publisher preview
Download citation
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.

Abstract

The authors examined how an applicant's handshake influences hiring recommendations formed during the employment interview. A sample of 98 undergraduate students provided personality measures and participated in mock interviews during which the students received ratings of employment suitability. Five trained raters independently evaluated the quality of the handshake for each participant. Quality of handshake was related to interviewer hiring recommendations. Path analysis supported the handshake as mediating the effect of applicant extraversion on interviewer hiring recommendations, even after controlling for differences in candidate physical appearance and dress. Although women received lower ratings for the handshake, they did not on average receive lower assessments of employment suitability. Exploratory analysis suggested that the relationship between a firm handshake and interview ratings may be stronger for women than for men.
A preview of this full-text is provided by American Psychological Association.
Learn more
Content available from Journal of Applied Psychology
This content is subject to copyright. Terms and conditions apply.
Exploring the Handshake in Employment Interviews
Greg L. Stewart and Susan L. Dustin
University of Iowa Murray R. Barrick
Texas A&M University
Todd C. Darnold
Creighton University
The authors examined how an applicant’s handshake influences hiring recommendations formed during
the employment interview. A sample of 98 undergraduate students provided personality measures and
participated in mock interviews during which the students received ratings of employment suitability.
Five trained raters independently evaluated the quality of the handshake for each participant. Quality of
handshake was related to interviewer hiring recommendations. Path analysis supported the handshake as
mediating the effect of applicant extraversion on interviewer hiring recommendations, even after
controlling for differences in candidate physical appearance and dress. Although women received lower
ratings for the handshake, they did not on average receive lower assessments of employment suitability.
Exploratory analysis suggested that the relationship between a firm handshake and interview ratings may
be stronger for women than for men.
Keywords: handshake, employment interviews, first impressions
A firm handshake is often identified as an aspect of nonverbal
communication that has a critical influence on impressions formed
during employment interviews. Indeed, a recent search of the
Internet revealed nearly a million listings that detailed the impor-
tance of the handshake and gave advice about the proper way to
shake hands during an interview. In spite of seemingly widespread
acceptance of the important role the handshake plays in interview
success, empirical research examining the handshake in employ-
ment interviews is lacking.
Nonverbal cues other than the handshake, such as eye contact
during discussions and smiling, have been shown to have a critical
influence on interview assessments (DeGroot & Motowidlo,
1999). Although not studied in the interview context, the ubiqui-
tous prevalence of the handshake at both the beginning and the end
of interviews suggests that nonverbal cues communicated through
the shaking of hands may convey important information about job
applicants. The handshake may specifically convey information
about an individual’s personality, as early research suggested a
traitlike relationship between the handshake and personality
(Chaplin, Phillips, Brown, Clanton, & Stein, 2000; Vanderbilt,
1957). In short, good handshakes are believed to communicate
sociability, friendliness, and dominance, whereas poor handshakes
may communicate introversion, shyness, and neuroticism (Chaplin
et al., 2000). Yet, research has not explored relationships between
the nonverbal act of shaking hands and employment interview
evaluations.
In this article, we empirically examine the role of the handshake
in employment interviews. We first seek to determine whether
quality of the handshake does indeed correspond with interviewer
assessments. We then explore the nature of what is being conveyed
through the handshake by examining relationships between the
handshake and personality. We also assess the effect of potential
gender differences in handshaking.
Is Handshake Quality Related to Ratings in Employment
Interviews?
In the interview context, nonverbal behaviors are assumed to
convey useful information (Gifford, Ng, & Wilkinson, 1985;
Schlenker, 1980). The category of nonverbal cues can be broadly
defined as cues, other than the content of responses, or demo-
graphic differences like sex and race (Parsons & Liden, 1984).
Nonverbal behaviors commonly thought to be important during an
interview include eye contact, smiling, posture, interpersonal dis-
tance, and body orientation (Forbes & Jackson, 1980; Imada &
Hakel, 1977; Motowidlo & Burnett, 1995; Young & Beier, 1977).
These behaviors are assumed to influence interviewer reactions,
which in turn result in attributions of applicant characteristics such
as communication ability, intelligence, and self-confidence (De-
Groot & Motowidlo, 1999; McGovern & Tinsley, 1978).
Given that a handshake typically occurs in the interview setting,
it is surprising that researchers have not looked at the role this form
of tactile nonverbal communication may play in the interview
setting. The handshake is a nonverbal touch behavior that can
convey an “immediacy” dimension in interviews (Imada & Hakel,
1977). Immediacy is an interaction between two individuals that
involves close physical proximity and/or perceptual availability
(Mehrabian, 1972). It has been theorized that greater immediacy
Greg L. Stewart and Susan L. Dustin, Department of Management and
Organizations, University of Iowa; Murray R. Barrick, Department of
Management, Texas A&M University; Todd C. Darnold, Marketing and
Management Department, Creighton University.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Greg
L. Stewart, Department of Management and Organizations, Tippie
College of Business, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242. E-mail:
greg-stewart@uiowa.edu
Journal of Applied Psychology Copyright 2008 by the American Psychological Association
2008, Vol. 93, No. 5, 1139–1146 0021-9010/08/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/0021-9010.93.5.1139
1139
This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers.
This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.
... Indeed, latent traits manifest in visible cues across various contexts, which in turn can be leveraged by perceivers to form somewhat meaningful impressions. For instance, traits have been shown to be expressed in and accurately inferred from online social media like Facebook (e.g., Stopfer, Egloff, Nestler, & Back, 2014) and Twitter (e.g., Golbeck, Robles, Edmondson, & Turner, 2011), personal music preferences (e.g., Rentfrow & Gosling, 2006), or even email addresses (e.g., Back, Schmukle, & Egloff, 2008), as well as job-related contexts, like application photographs (e.g., Fernandez, Stosic, & Terrier, 2017), resumés (e.g., Burns, Christiansen, Morris, Periard, & Coaster, 2014;Cole, Feild, & Giles, 2003), LinkedIn profiles (e.g., Fernandez, Stöcklin, Terrier, & Kim, 2021;Roulin & Levashina, 2019), job interviews (e.g., DeGroot & Gooty, 2009;Gifford, 1994), virtual consumer avatars (e.g., Bélisle & Bodur, 2010), or even handshakes at a professional meeting (Stewart, Dustin, Barrick, & Darnold, 2008). ...
... Second, even though our sample was large for a lens model study (e.g., DeGroot & Gooty, 2009;Fernandez et al., 2017;Gifford, Ng, & Wilkinson, 1985;Stewart et al., 2008), given the small effects of cue validities/utilizations, future research may gather an even larger sample to more reliably detect valid/utilized cues. Our power was good for detecting medium-sized (ρ = .20) ...
Trait Expression and Impression Formation Based on Contextual Virtual Meeting Cues
Article
  • Aug 2024
Virtual meetings represent a key communication channel in organizations, introducing a range of contextual cues (e.g., background objects, lighting, positioning). Building on the lens model, we examine whether contextual virtual meeting cues signal traits of the displayer (big five, narcissism, intelligence) and are used to form interpersonal impressions (assertive, trustworthy, calm, competent). We assessed personality and ability tests of 362 participants (mostly business students) engaging in an assessment center group task via Zoom. Based on a set of 26 contextual virtual meeting cues, we identified valid cues signaling each of the traits and utilized cues for forming each of the interpersonal impressions, except for being seen as calm. Whereas contextual virtual meeting cues explained significant variance beyond basic demographics in traits and impressions, cue validities and utilizations were only moderate (r < .19), as were the incremental explained variances (R2 < .12). Overall, there seems to be some substance to the notion that traits can manifest through contextual virtual meeting cues and that these cues may shape impression formation. We contribute to the literature on trait expression and impression formation in virtual business meetings and offer practical implications for organizations and meeting attendees aiming to manage their virtual impressions.
View
... Indeed, latent traits manifest in visible cues across various contexts, which in turn can be leveraged by perceivers to form somewhat meaningful impressions. For instance, traits have been shown to be expressed in and accurately inferred from online social media like Facebook (e.g., Stopfer, Egloff, Nestler, & Back, 2014) and Twitter (e.g., Golbeck, Robles, Edmondson, & Turner, 2011), personal music preferences (e.g., Rentfrow & Gosling, 2006), or even email addresses (e.g., Back, Schmukle, & Egloff, 2008), as well as job-related contexts, like application photographs (e.g., Fernandez, Stosic, & Terrier, 2017), resumés (e.g., Burns, Christiansen, Morris, Periard, & Coaster, 2014;Cole, Feild, & Giles, 2003), LinkedIn profiles (e.g., Fernandez, Stöcklin, Terrier, & Kim, 2021;Roulin & Levashina, 2019), job interviews (e.g., DeGroot & Gooty, 2009;Gifford, 1994), virtual consumer avatars (e.g., Bélisle & Bodur, 2010), or even handshakes at a professional meeting (Stewart, Dustin, Barrick, & Darnold, 2008). ...
... Second, even though our sample was large for a lens model study (e.g., DeGroot & Gooty, 2009;Fernandez et al., 2017;Gifford, Ng, & Wilkinson, 1985;Stewart et al., 2008), given the small effects of cue validities/utilizations, future research may gather an even larger sample to more reliably detect valid/utilized cues. Our power was good for detecting medium-sized (ρ = .20) ...
Trait Expression and Impression Formation Based on Contextual Virtual Meeting Cues
Conference Paper
  • Jun 2024
Virtual meetings represent a key communication channel in organizations, introducing a range of contextual cues (e.g., background objects, lighting, positioning). Building on the lens model, we examine whether contextual virtual meeting cues signal traits of the displayer (big five, narcissism, intelligence) and are used to form interpersonal impressions (assertive, trustworthy, calm, competent). We assessed personality and ability tests of 362 participants (mostly business students) engaging in an assessment center group task via Zoom. Based on a set of 26 contextual virtual meeting cues, we identified valid cues signaling each of the traits and utilized cues for forming each of the interpersonal impressions, except for being seen as calm. Whereas contextual virtual meeting cues explained significant variance beyond basic demographics in traits and impressions, cue validities and utilizations were only moderate (r ≤ .18), as were the incremental explained variances (ΔR2 ≤ .11). Overall, there seems to be some substance to the notion that traits can manifest through contextual virtual meeting cues and that these cues may shape impression formation. We contribute to the literature on trait expression and impression formation in virtual business meetings and offer practical implications for organizations and meeting attendees aiming to manage their virtual impressions. ***This paper has been nominated among the three finalists for the Best Paper Award of the Organisational Behaviour General Track – SIG 09 OB & HRM at the 2024 EURAM Conference.***
View
... This addresses calls to examine online network information signalling important applicant characteristics (Schroeder et al., 2020). We also enrich the broader literature on trait expression in selection contexts; adding LinkedIn cues to the information bases recruiters can use to infer traits, like resumés (Burns et al., 2014;Härtel et al., 2024), application photos (Fernandez et al., 2017), online social networks (Back, Stopfer, et al., 2010;Stopfer et al., 2014), job interviews (DeGroot & Gooty, 2009), or even handshakes (Stewart et al., 2008). LinkedIn-specific cues, like listing interests with many followers for narcissism or schools with many followers for intelligence, offer unique insights unavailable in other sources. ...
'LinkedIn, LinkedIn on the screen, who is the greatest and smartest ever seen?': A machine learning approach using valid LinkedIn cues to predict narcissism and intelligence
Article
Full-text available
  • Jul 2024
  • J OCCUP ORGAN PSYCH
Recruiters routinely use LinkedIn profiles to infer applicants' individual traits like narcissism and intelligence, two key traits in online network and organizational contexts. However, little is known about LinkedIn profiles' predictive potential to accurately infer individual traits. According to Brunswik's lens model, accurate trait inferences depend on (a) the presence of valid cues in LinkedIn profiles containing information about users' individual traits and (b) the sensitive and consistent utilization of valid cues. We assessed narcissism (self-report) and intelligence (aptitude tests) in a sample of 406 LinkedIn users along with 64 LinkedIn cues (coded by three trained coders) that we derived from trait theory and previous empirical findings. We used a transparent, easy-to-interpret machine learning algorithm leveraging practical application potentials (elastic net) and applied state-of-the-art resampling techniques (nested cross-validation) to ensure robust results. Thereby, we uncover LinkedIn profiles' predictive potential: (a) LinkedIn profiles contain valid information about narcissism (e.g. uploading a background picture) and intelligence (e.g. listing many accomplishments), and (b) the elastic nets sensitively and consistently using these valid cues attain prediction accuracy (r = .35/.41 for narcissism/intelligence). The results have practical implications for improving recruiters' accuracy and foreshadow potentials and limitations of automated LinkedIn-based assessments for selection purposes.
View
... Taking a broader perspective, this study contributes to the literature on personality expression in recruitment relevant contexts by adding valid LinkedIn cues to the information bases recruiters can draw on to make (somewhat) accurate personality inferences such as resumés (e.g., Burns et al., 2014), application photographs (Fernandez, Stosic, & Terrier, 2017), online social networks (e.g., Stopfer et al., 2014), job interviews (e.g., DeGroot & Gooty, 2009), or even handshakes in on site personnel selection procedures (Stewart, Dustin, Barrick, & Darnold, 2008). In particular, we add valid LinkedIn specific cues such as a high number of received recommendations and listing interests with many followers for narcissism or listing groups and schools with many followers for intelligence, that are unavailable on other recruitment relevant information bases such as resumés or Facebook profiles. ...
Using Valid Cues to Predict Narcissism and Intelligence From LinkedIn Profiles
Article
  • Aug 2023
Recruiters routinely use LinkedIn profiles to infer applicants’ key personality traits like narcissism and intelligence. However, little is known about LinkedIn profiles’ predictive potential to accurately infer personality. According to Brunswik’s lens model, accurate personality inferences depend on (a) the presence of valid cues in LinkedIn profiles containing information about users’ personality and (b) the consistent utilization of valid cues. We assessed narcissism (self-report) and intelligence (aptitude tests) in a mixed sample of 406 students/professionals along with 64 deductively derived LinkedIn cues coded by 3 trained coders. Applying nested cross-validated elastic nets, we demonstrate that (a) LinkedIn profiles contain valid information about users’ narcissism (e.g., uploading a background picture) and intelligence (e.g., listing many accomplishments). Furthermore, (b) mechanical perceivers like machine learning algorithms use these valid cues consistently so that the elastic nets attained substantial prediction accuracy (r = .28/.32 for narcissism/intelligence). This way, we uncover LinkedIn profiles’ potential to accurately infer personality: Personality can be inferred accurately if (a) the valid cues contained in LinkedIn profiles are (b) used consistently like a mechanical perceiver does. The results have practical implications for improving recruiters’ accuracy and foreshadow potentials of automated LinkedIn based personality assessments for recruitment purposes.
View
... Chaplin et al. found that a firm handshake is related positively to extraversion and emotional expressiveness and negatively to shyness and neuroticism [4]. Handshakes enhance feelings of satisfaction, extraversion, and affirmation and induce economic risk-taking [5][6][7][8]. ...
Enhancement of Handshake Attraction through Tactile, Visual, and Auditory Multimodal Stimulation
Article
Full-text available
  • Jul 2023
“Handshaking parties,” where pop idols shake hands with fans, can be exciting. The multimodal stimulation of tactile, visual, and auditory sensations can be captivating. In this study, we presented subjects with stimuli eliciting three sensory responses: tactile, visual, and auditory sensations. We found that the attraction scores of subjects increased because they felt the smoothness and obtained a human-like sensory experience grasping a grip handle covered with artificial skin, faux fur, and abrasive cloth with their dominant hand as they looked at a picture of a pop idol or listened to a song. When no pictures or songs were presented, a simple feeling of slight warmth was correlated with the attraction score. Results suggest that multimodal stimuli alter tactile sensations and the feelings evoked. This finding may be useful for designing materials that activate the human mind through tactile sensation and for developing humanoid robots and virtual reality systems.
View
... Social touching, such as handshakes, stroking and hugs, is known to have positive effects on us in many aspects, such as physical and emotional, attachment, attitude and behavior and emotional transference [3]. In addition, social touch increases intimacy in interpersonal relationships because it can leave the impression that the other person is "more familiar" or "happy to see you" [4]. ...
Handshake Feedback in a Haptic Glove Using Pouch Actuators
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2023
In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a haptic device with liquid-pouch motors that can simulate a handshake. Because handshakes involve contact of the palms or soft skin, handshake simulation requires the haptic device to provide pressure onto specific areas of the palm with soft contact. This can be achieved with thermally driven liquid-pouch motors, which inflate and deflate when a low-boiling-point liquid, here Novec ™ 7000, evaporates and condenses, respectively. Due to the simplicity of the soft actuator system, this haptic glove is lightweight and conformable. To design the haptic glove, we experimentally investigated the contact region and strength in handshakes, which led to an optimal number, size and position for the liquid-pouch motors. Sensory experiments with human subjects verified that the designed haptic glove successfully simulated handshakes.
View
... Although there is a broadly shared understanding that norms are a basic element of societies (Coleman 1990;Ellickson 2001;Hechter and Opp 2001;North 1991), the explicit analysis of norms regarding ER is scarce, fragmented along disciplinary boundaries, and spread across different strands of the literature (Horne and Mollborn 2020). There is a small body of literature on matching and contracting that shows that social norms influence the process of applying and hiring for jobs (e.g., Akerlof and Kranton 2000; Barr et al. 2018;Crandall et al. 2002;Hurley-Hanson and Giannantonio 2006;Mack and Rainey 1990;Seiter and Sandry 2003;Stewart et al. 2008). A set of studies has found that normative attitudes on fairness and justice are important determinants for the assessment of layoffs (Charness and Levine 2000;Engelstad 1997;Gerlach et al. 2008;Pfeifer 2007;Struck et al. 2008). ...
COVID-19, normative attitudes and pluralistic ignorance in employer-employee relationships
Article
Full-text available
  • Nov 2022
Employment relationships are embedded in a network of social norms that provide an implicit framework for desired behaviour, especially if contractual solutions are weak. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about major changes that have led to situations, such as the scope of short-time work or home-based work in a firm. Against this backdrop, our study addresses three questions: first, are there social norms dealing with these changes; second, are there differences in attitudes between employees and supervisors (misalignment); and third, are there differences between respondents’ average attitudes and the attitudes expected to exist in the population (pluralistic ignorance). We find that for the assignment of short-time work and of work at home, there are shared normative attitudes with only small differences between supervisors and nonsupervisors. Moreover, there is evidence for pluralistic ignorance; asked for the perceived opinion of others, respondents over- or underestimated the consensus in the (survey) population. Such pluralistic ignorance can contribute to the upholding of a norm even if individuals do not support the norm, with potentially far-reaching consequences for the quality of the employment relationship and the functioning of the organization. Our results show that, especially in times of change, social norms should be considered for the analysis of labour markets.
View
Relationships between resumé cues and applicants' personality
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2024
  • APPL PSYCHOL-INT REV
Human resource (HR) professionals regularly draw personality inferences from applicants' resumés. Building on the lens model, we illuminate resumés' potential for accurately inferring personality by examining valid resumé cues indicating personality. We assessed self-reported big five traits and narcissism of 141 business students at career start applying with resumés for a fictional position. Drawing on personality theory and empirical findings, 70 resumé cues (e.g., appealing look and creative hobbies) were post hoc selected from a larger cue set comprising 160 cues coded by 11 trained coders. Computing bivariate correlations and multiple linear regressions, we identified easy-to-interpret valid resumé cues explaining substantial personality variance, with conscientiousness, openness, and narcissism being best explained by resumé cues (R2 > 20%). Although all considered personality traits were expressed in resumé cues, only a fraction of the cues (16 out of 70 cues) were related to personality traits. This suggests a rather mediocre upper limit to the potential of accurately inferring personality from resumés. We contribute to the literature on personality inferences at zero-acquaintance by adding valid resumé cues to recruitment-related information bases allowing to make (somewhat) accurate personality inferences. The results have practical implications for applying resumé-based personality inferences in recruitment and improving HR professionals' accuracy.
View
Means of Nonverbal Communication
Chapter
  • Dec 2023
This chapter will introduce and explain selected skills of nonverbal communication. In particular, we will discuss haptic signals, body language, proxemics (i.e., use of space), and physical characteristics.
View
View
Identification and Meta-Analytic Assessment of Psychological Constructs Measured in Employment Interviews
Article
Full-text available
  • Oct 2001
There has been a growing interest in understanding what constructs are assessed in the employment interview and the properties of those assessments. To address these issues, the authors developed a comprehensive taxonomy of 7 types of constructs that the interview could assess. Analysis of 338 ratings from 47 actual interview studies indicated that basic personality and applied social skills were the most frequently rated constructs in this taxonomy, followed by mental capability and job knowledge and skills. Further analysis suggested that high-and low-structure interviews tend to focus on different constructs. Taking both frequency and validity results into consideration, the findings suggest that at least part of the reason why structured interviews tend to have higher validity is because they focus more on constructs that have a stronger relationship with job performance. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
View
Confirming first impressions in the employment interview: A field study of interviewer behavior.
Article
Full-text available
  • Oct 1994
This research examined behavioral styles used by interviewers to confirm their first impressions of job applicants. Three interviewers in a corporate setting formed first impressions based on application blank and test score information. They then conducted autiotaped interviews. Coders independently coded 79 interviews and found that first impressions were related to confirmatory behavior. Interviews followed up positive first 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 three 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, our results suggest that interviewers in natural settings do use confirmatory strategies, underscoring the importance of additional research on ''self-fulfilling prophecies.''
View
Why Visual and Vocal Interview Cues Can Affect Interviewers’ Judgments and Predict Job Performance
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 1999
Using videotaped interviews with 60 managers in utility companies, the authors found that a composite of vocal interview cues (pitch, pitch variability, speech rate, pauses, and amplitude variability) correlated with supervisory ratings of job performance (r = .18, p < .05). Using videotaped interviews with 110 managers in a news-publishing company, the authors found that the same composite of vocal cues correlated with performance ratings (r = .20, p < .05) and with interviewers’ judgments (r = .20, p < .05) and that a composite of visual cues (physical attractiveness, smiling, gaze, hand movement, and body orientation) correlated with performance ratings (r = .14, p < .07) and with interviewers’ judgments (r = .21, p < .05). Results of tests of mediation effects indicate that personal reactions such as liking, trust, and attributed credibility toward interviewees explain relationships (a) between job performance and vocal cues and (b) between interviewers’ judgments and both visual and vocal cues.
View
View
What Is Beautiful Is Good, But...: A Meta-Analytic Review of Research on the Physical Attractiveness Stereotype
Article
  • Jul 1991
This review demonstrates that the physical attractiveness stereotype established by studies of person perception is not as strong or general as suggested by the often-used summary phrase what is beautiful is good. Although subjects in these studies ascribed more favorable personality traits and more successful life outcomes to attractive than unattractive targets, the average magnitude of this beauty-is-good effect was moderate, and the strength of the effect varied considerably from study to study. Consistent with our implicit personality theory framework, a substantial portion of this variation was explained by the specific content of the inferences that subjects were asked to make: The differences in subjects' perception of attractive and unattractive targets were largest for indexes of social competence; intermediate for potency, adjustment, and intellectual competence; and near zero for integrity and concern for others. The strength of the physical attractiveness stereotype also varied as a function of other attributes of the studies, including the presence of individuating information.
View
Making the Right Impression: A Field Study of Applicant Impression Management During Job Interviews
Article
  • Oct 1995
Two issues were explored: (a) which impression management (IM) tactics applicants use during actual interviews and (b) whether there is a relationship between applicants' IM tactics and their interview outcomes. The study also examined convergence across different methods and raters when measuring IM. Postinterview survey measures were obtained from applicants and interviewers regarding applicant IM behavior during a specific interview; in addition, a subset (n = 24) of interviews was audiotaped and analyzed for the presence of IM. Analyses revealed low to moderate convergence across methods and raters, suggesting that IM tactics may be multidimensional constructs. Across methods and raters, there was consistent evidence of greater applicant self-promotion than ingratiation. Similarly, IM tactics significantly predicted interviewers' evaluations and whether applicants later obtained site visits. Implications for future research are discussed.
View
Self-Fulfilling Prophecies in the Selection-Recruitment Interview
Article
  • Oct 1982
A model is presented in which it is proposed that interviewers' pre-interview evaluations of applicants tend to be self-fulfilling. These self-fulfilling effects are mediated by both the tendency of interviewers to convey their opinions of the interviewee in their conduct of the interview and their tendency to notice, recall, and interpret information in a manner that is consistent with pre-interview evaluations. Possible moderators of the effects of pre-interview evaluations also are discussed.
View
View
View
The Impact of Nonverbal Communication in Organizations: A Survey of Perceptions
Article
  • Jan 1991
  • J Bus Comm
Five hundred and five respondents, from a wide variety of business organizations, were surveyed to gather information on their perceptions of nonverbal communication. Dividing the sample on the basis of perceived decoding ability and gender revealed several differences between the groups. Nonverbal communication was more important to self-rated good decoders than to other decoders. Better decoders relied most on facial expressions for accurate information while less skilled decoders preferred voice level or tone. Women, individually, rated themselves higher than men in decoding ability and, as a group, were perceived by both men and women to be better decoders and encoders of nonverbal cues. Women working in the education field rated themselves higher in decoding ability than any other group.Recommendations for improved communication in businesses included paying more at tention to nonverbal cues, especially the facial expressions, engaging in more eye con tact, and probing for more information when verbal and nonverbal cues are discrepant. Managers should be aware that most employees feel frustration and dis trust when receiving conflicting signals from their supervisors, and should try to modify their behavior by being more honest when communicating their emotions.
View