Job Applicant Attitudes, Affective Experience, and Justice Perceptions: An Attitudinal Model of Applicant Reactions to Selection Systems

Abstract

This research proposes a theoretical model of the antecedents and consequences of job applicant responses to selection system participation. The model is based on Affective Events Theory (Weiss & Cropanzano, 1996) and extends previous research on selection system fairness by considering both affective and cognitive responses across multiple stages of the selection process. Two longitudinal research studies using actual job applicants provide support for a revised version of the theoretical model. The results suggest the importance of applicant affective experience during the selection process, pre-test attitudes, and individual difference factors. Discussion focuses on theoretical and practical implications of the proposed model and research findings.