Examining Applicant Reactions to Different Media Types in Character‐based Simulations for Employee Selection

Abstract

While the influence of technology and medium of assessment administration on applicant reactions has been a topic for recent discussion, scant research has considered reactions to various forms of media types in employee character‐based simulations. In a series of two studies, we focused on the influence of various media types on a variety of applicant reaction criteria. In Study 1, we explored (1) differences in procedural justice perceptions and company impressions between a text and 3D animated simulation, (2) spillover mechanisms by which applicant reactions influences company perceptions, and (3) the influence of media richness on perceptions of other assessments types within a battery. In a second study, we focused on applicant reactions to and rankings of three media types (i.e., 2D animation, 3D animation, and live‐action video) in a character‐based simulation. Our results indicated support for a mediated effect of procedural justice rules on company perceptions. Across studies, favorable reaction ratings and rankings for 3D animation and live‐action video were found.

Animated videos in assessment: comparing validity evidence from and test-takers’ reactions to an animated and a text-based situational judgment test

“…The use of animations also positively influenced the extent to which test-takers enjoyed the assessment process. These findings corroborate a great deal of previous research in the field of both acted-video and animated assessments (Bruk-Lee et al, 2016;Kanning et al, 2006;Richman-Hirsch et al, 2000), and further support one of the main advantages of multimedia over text-based assessments; i.e., that assessments using multimedia are often perceived to be more authentic and evoke more positive test-taker reactions.…”

“…Indeed, there have been attempts to incorporate video technologies in tests to replace some or most of their written text, mostly in the context of SJTs, where videos are often used as an alternative to text-based vignettes. Early attempts to replace written passages in SJTs took the form of acted videos, with human actors performing a scenario (e.g., , while lately, some researchers, such as Bruk-Lee et al (2016), have begun considering the potential of animated videos because of their attractiveness and the ease with which they can be modified.…”

“…In the last decade, a small number of research studies specifically investigating the use of animations in testing have been conducted. In a seminal study by Bruk-Lee et al (2016), test-takers were presented with either an animated or a text-based version of the same SJT. Participants' responses to the survey questions following the assessment showed that the animated SJT was perceived as more job-relevant than the text-based version of the test.…”

Anonymous résumés: An effective preselection method?

“…We selected a sample of experienced professionals involved in the recruitment process for more than 1 year from a panel owned by a specialized company. Online panel data are increasingly being used to obtain convenience samples in market research and organizational studies (Bowling & Lyons, ; Bruk‐Lee et al, ; Djurdjevic, Rosen, Conroy, Rawski, & Sosna, ; Krishnakumar, Perera, Persich, & Robinson, ). We contracted Creatests®, a panel that contains 450,143 French participants, and works with a large number of companies and major universities and provides a high level of quality control.…”

Structured behavioral and conventional interviews: Differences and biases in interviewer ratings

“…With regard to future research, the significant growth in the use of new information technologies (IT) in the selection and assessment processes (e.g., e-recruitment, phone-based interviews, online interviews) suggests that new studies should be conducted to verify the way in which the findings of the present research can be transported to new assessment methods (Aguado, Rico, Rubio, & Fernández, 2016;Bruk-Lee et al, 2016;García-Izquierdo, Ramos-Villagrasa, & Castaño, 2015;Schinkel, van Vianen, & Ryan, 2016). This is especially relevant in the case of the interview, given that more and more companies are conducting online interviews, in which the interviewer and the interviewee communicate only through a computer and in which there is no real interaction between the interviewer and the interviewee (Grieve & Hayes, 2016;Silvester & Anderson, 2003).…”