Can I perform? Affective responses to algorithmic decision-making in the recruitment process

Abstract

Companies increasingly use artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic decision-making for their recruitment and selection process for cost and efficiency reasons. However, knowledge about the affective responses to the selection process is still limited when AI supports different selection process stages (i.e., preselection, telephone, and video interview). Using a scenario-based between-subject design (N = 160) in Study 1, we found that AI-support at later stages of the selection process (i.e., telephone and video interview) decreases the opportunity to perform and increases emotional creepiness. In turn, the opportunity to perform and emotional creepiness mediate the association of AI-support in telephone/ video interviews and organizational attractiveness. Conversely, we did not find negative affective responses to AI-support in the preselection. In Study 2, we examined whether hiding the information about AI-support in preselection negatively influences applicant reactions after the selection process has ended. The hide of information about AI-support decreases procedural justice, trust, and organizational attractiveness. As we offer evidence for possible adverse reactions, this study provides important practical and theoretical implications.