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Applicant–Employee Fit in Personality: Testing predictions from similarity‐attraction theory and trait activation theory
Author(s) -
Van Hoye Greet,
Turban Daniel B.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of selection and assessment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.812
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1468-2389
pISSN - 0965-075X
DOI - 10.1111/ijsa.12109
Subject(s) - psychology , agreeableness , trait , social psychology , conscientiousness , big five personality traits , attraction , attractiveness , personality , extraversion and introversion , affect (linguistics) , similarity (geometry) , trait theory , physical attractiveness , linguistics , philosophy , communication , artificial intelligence , computer science , psychoanalysis , image (mathematics) , programming language
We extend prior research by examining whether, and how, applicant–employee fit in the personality traits of conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extraversion affect organizational attractiveness. We test hypotheses based on similarity‐attraction theory and trait activation theory. Results from two studies indicate that applicants high in valued traits are more attracted to organizations when employees are more similar to them in those personality traits, whereas employees’ trait levels do not affect attraction for applicants low in valued traits. The effects of objective applicant–employee fit in personality on attractiveness were mediated by perceived applicant–employee fit. The pattern of the observed applicant–employee fit interactions was best predicted by trait activation theory and, thus, provide an important extension to similarity‐attraction theory.