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The importance of traits and abilities in supervisors' hirability decisions as a function of method of assessment
Author(s) -
Lievens Filip,
Highhouse Scott,
Corte Wilfried
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of occupational and organizational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.257
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 2044-8325
pISSN - 0963-1798
DOI - 10.1348/096317905x26093
Subject(s) - psychology , extraversion and introversion , extant taxon , big five personality traits , personnel selection , selection (genetic algorithm) , personality , social psychology , test (biology) , perception , applied psychology , management , paleontology , evolutionary biology , artificial intelligence , neuroscience , biology , computer science , economics
Past research on the importance of traits and abilities in supervisors' hirability decisions has ignored the influence of the selection method used to derive information about these traits and abilities. In this study, experienced retail store supervisors ( N =163) rated job applicant profiles that were described on the Big Five and General Mental Ability (GMA) personality dimensions. Contrary to past studies, the supervisors were also informed about the method of assessment used (paper‐and‐pencil test vs. unstructured interview). Hierarchical linear modelling analyses showed that the importance attached to extraversion and GMA was significantly moderated by the selection method, with extraversion and GMA decreasing in importance when store supervisors knew that scores on extraversion and GMA were derived from a paper‐and‐pencil test as opposed to from an unstructured interview. Store supervisors with more selection‐related experience also attached more importance to GMA. Results are discussed in relation to the practice–science gap and the extant literature on perceptions of selection procedures.