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Dissertation Information for Catherine Smith

NAME:
- Catherine Smith

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of Pittsburgh (USA) (1986)

ADVISORS:
- Sara Fine

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- E. Blanche Woolls
- Allen Kent
- Wendell Wray
- John McAllister

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: BEHAVIORAL IMPLICATIONS OF AMBIGUOUS INFORMATION AND ITS TEMPORAL PLACEMENT IN THE LIBRARY EMPLOYEE SELECTION PROCESS

Abstract: Because letters of reference are so widely used by libraries as a personnel selection tool, despite the dearth of validation research, their potential for creating unfair interviewer bias or expectations about applicants is considerable.

A quasi-experimental approach was used to identify differences in interviewer judgments about a hypothetical applicant when subjects (107 library administrators) read either a positive or an ambiguous letter of reference, either before or after reading a series of excerpts from a simulated interview. After reading each interview excerpt describing a prior "success" or "failure" of the applicant, subjects responded to rating scales by which they attributed success or failure to factors internal (effort, ability, personality) or external (luck, the influence of other people, task difficulty) to the applicant. Subjects then decided to either accept or reject the applicant. They also commented on each excerpt and on the decision-making process in general, noted impressions of the applicant, information important in reaching their decisions and information felt missing but desirable. Subjects' age, sex, experience and frequency of actual interviews were also surveyed.

No differences resulted among the five experimental groups in acceptance or rejection of the applicant, degree of strength or confidence in the decision or causal attribution, regardless of type of letter or its temporal placement. Demographic characteristics of subjects accounted for some differences in attribution.

In general, acceptors formed favorable impressions of the applicant early and tended to attribute successes to internal factors and failures to external factors. Rejectors generally formed negative impressions early, attributing successes to external factors and failures to internal factors. Rejectors particularly felt that references were important to the decision-making process and desired more reference information. Impressions intensified as the interview progressed.

Results are discussed in terms of practical and legal considerations, with reference to attribution theory and the "the illusion of validity" described by Tversky and Kahneman (1974), and suggestions for further research are provided.

MPACT Scores for Catherine Smith

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:22:59

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Students under Catherine Smith

ADVISEES:
- None

COMMITTEESHIPS:
- None