Contrast effect in the interview

Abstract

Employment interviewers (N = 120) and managers (N = 180) viewed videotaped interviews of four MBA applicants for a management trainee position and evaluated them on a dichotomous criterion. The change-over sequence design method was used to analyze for a contrast effect in the three counterbalanced treatment conditions. Three anchor stimuli preceded the target stimulus as in the traditional contrast paradigm. Results confirmed the presence of a contrast effect [F(2,596) = 34.57, p