Effects of the non‐verbal behaviour of interviewers on candidates' impressions

Abstract

A role‐playing technique was used to investigate the hypothesis that candidates in a mock selection interview would make use of the non‐verbal behaviour of the interviewer to form impressions of him. When non‐verbal approval and disapproval were compared, the former created a more favourable impression in the candidates. However, non‐verbal approval had no effect on the verbal output of candidates, contrary to suggestions that such approval would reinforce verbal behaviour and so increase talking.