Individual Differences Predicting Impression Management Detection in Job Interviews

Nicolas Roulin

doi:10.25035/pad.2016.001

Abstract

Applicant impression management (IM), and especially its deceptive side (i.e., faking), has been described as a potential threat to the validity of employment interviews. This threat was confirmed by evidence of interviewers’ inability to detect (deceptive) IM tactics. Previous studies suggested that some interviewers could be better IM detectors than others, but did not examine the reasons explaining higher abilities. Building on interpersonal deception theory, this study explores individual differences in cognitions (i.e., cognitive ability) and social sensitivity (associated with generalized trust and honesty) as predictors of IM detection abilities. Results of a study with 250 individuals suggest that these individual differences did not independently predict IM detection. Although high trust was associated with higher IM detection when combined with high cognitive ability, a high-trust/low-ability combination appears to be the most harmful for detection. Organizations may consider fighting applicant deception by relying on interviewers who are high cognitive ability trusters.

Highlights

Organizations spend a great deal of time, energy, and money assessing job applicants to discover which ones are likely to be a good fit for both the job and the organization, and will become high performers
Building on interpersonal deception theory, this study explores individual differences in cognitions and social sensitivity as predictors of impression management (IM) detection abilities
Building on interpersonal deception theory (Buller & Burgoon, 1996) and earlier deception detection research, this study examines if individuals higher in cognitions and social sensitivity perform better at detecting applicant IM

Summary

Introduction

Organizations spend a great deal of time, energy, and money assessing job applicants to discover which ones are likely to be a good fit for both the job and the organization, and will become high performers. This is important in job interviews, which are used almost universally (Huffcutt & Culbertson, 2011) Both theoretical (Bozeman & Kacmar, 1997; Levashina & Campion, 2006) and empirical (e.g., Higgins & Judge, 2004; Levashina & Campion, 2007; Stevens & Kristof, 1995) research suggests that applicants engage in impression management (IM) tactics to influence interviewers’ perceptions and evaluations during employment interviews. Because self-focused assertive tactics like self-promotion or image creation are the most popular ones (Levashina & Campion, 2007; Stevens & Kristof, 1995), this study will focus on those forms of IM

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