In this paper, we explore whether individuals who strive to self-verify flourish or flounder on the job market. Using placement data from two very different field samples, we found that individuals rated by the organization as being in the top 10% of candidates were significantly more likely to receive a job offer if they have a strong drive to self-verify. A third study explored the mechanism behind this effect, using a quasi-experimental design to explore whether individuals who are high and low on this trait communicate differently in a structured mock job interview. Text analysis (LIWC) of interview transcripts revealed systematic differences in candidates' language use as a function of their self-verification drives. These differences led an expert rater to perceive candidates with a strong drive to self-verify as less inauthentic and less misrepresentative than their low self-verifying peers, making her more likely to recommend these candidates for a job. Taken together, our results suggest that authentic selfpresentation is an unidentified route to success on the job market, amplifying the chances that high-quality candidates can convert organizations' positive evaluations into tangible job offers.We discuss implications for job applicants, organizations, and the labor market. At the beginning of the movie The Devil Wears Prada, a character named Andy Sachs has survived all the pre-screenings for an assistant position at an elite fashion magazine. She enters the office of the Editor-in-Chief, the person ultimately deciding if she will receive the job offer. Andy is highly qualified for the position: She was the editor of her own college newspaper and won national awards for her journalism. However, during the interview with the Editor-inChief, Andy is not stylishly dressed, admits that she is neither skinny nor glamorous like the other employees of the magazine, and declares that she has little interest in fashion. Andy's authentic descriptions of herself and her interests do not make her an obvious choice for the position. Yet her accurate self-assessment and refusal to misrepresent her interests in order to appear more "ideal" for the role piques the interest of the demanding head of the magazine, and she lands the job.Presenting oneself accurately and authentically, as Andy Sachs did, is not the most intuitive strategy for many candidates on the job market (Barrick, Shaffer, & DeGrassi, 2009;Dipboye, 1992;Fletcher, 1989). There are high stakes involved, and most job candidates have little incentive to present themselves accurately unless they perceive it will make them seem like a better fit for the position (Bangerter, Roulin, & König, 2012). However, we propose that Andy's strong drive to self-verify-to present herself accurately so that others understand her as she understands herself (Swann, 1983;Swann, Stein-Seroussi, & Giesler, 1992)-allowed her to differentiate herself from her other highly-qualified competitors. We argue that the extent to which job candidates strive to self-verify is a...
a b s t r a c tWe propose and test a theory explaining how and why decision makers engage in attractiveness discrimination in selection decisions. We integrate status generalization with interdependence theories and contextualize attractiveness discrimination within interdependent relationships among decision makers and candidates. Drawing on status generalization theory, we propose that decision makers associate attractiveness with competence in male but not in female candidates. We then draw on interdependence theory to propose that cooperative and competitive interdependence result in opposing patterns of attractiveness discrimination. When decision makers expect to cooperate with the candidate, they perceive attractive male candidates as more capable cooperators and discriminate in their favor. When decision makers expect to compete with the candidate, they perceive attractive male candidates as more capable competitors, and discriminate against them. Four studies, using different samples, selection tasks, manipulations of candidate attractiveness, and manipulations of interdependence, found evidence consistent with the theory.
We integrate stereotype fit and interdependence theories to propose a model explaining how and why decision makers discriminate in selection decisions. Our model suggests that decision makers draw on stereotypes about members of different social groups to infer the degree to which candidates possess the specific ability required for the task.Decision makers perceive candidates having a greater ability required for the task as less (more) instrumental to their personal outcomes if they expect to compete (cooperate) with the candidate, and they discriminate in favor of candidates perceived as more instrumental to them. We tested our theory in the context of racial (Studies 1-3) and age (Study 4) discrimination in selection decisions with all male samples and found evidence consistent with our predictions. By explaining when and why decision makers discriminate in favor of but also against members of their own social group, this research may help explain the mixed support for the dominant view that decision makers exhibit favoritism toward candidates belonging to the same social group. In addition, our research demonstrates the importance of considering the largely overlooked role of interdependent relationships within the organization for understanding discrimination in organizations.
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