Why your stigma isn't hired: A dual-process framework of interview bias

Abstract

The job interview is one of the most widely used assessment tools in the selection process. Despite its popularity in practice, interview outcomes can be prone to bias. Although our knowledge of stigmatizing applicant characteristics that elicit subgroup differences has grown exponentially, research continuously highlights the need for a framework underlying interview bias. This paper proposes a framework for interview bias based on the dual-process theory, which is a widely applicable theoretical framework that has influenced research on social interactions, information processing, and decision making. Specifically, we investigate how stigmatizing applicant characteristics affect interviewers' information processing during the three main stages of the interview (i.e., pre-interview, interview, decision making), we discuss situational and interviewer factors as moderators, and describe the impact on interview outcomes (like interview bias). Building on the dual-process theory, we formulate key propositions, related to each of the interview stages. Finally, we discuss the implications of this framework for future interview and stigma research and for organizations' interviewing practice.