Self-Fulfilling Prophecies in the Selection-Recruitment Interview

Abstract

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.