Interviewer evaluations of job applicants' resumes as a function of the qualifications of the immediately preceding applicants: An examination of contrast effects

Abstract

97 interviewers and a comparison group of 102 psychology students read and evaluated specially constructed sets of 3 employment resumes. 2 resumes established an anchorage, and the 3rd was the test for contrast effects. Significant contrast effects were observed in both groups, but accounted for nearly trivial amounts of the total decision variance (1% for interviewers, 2% for students). Contrast effects play a minor role in the evaluation of job applicants' resume. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)