Bm. Meglino et al., EFFECTS OF PREVIOUS JOB EXPOSURE AND SUBSEQUENT JOB STATUS ON THE FUNCTIONING OF A REALISTIC JOB PREVIEW, Personnel psychology, 46(4), 1993, pp. 803-822
In a longitudinal field experiment, applicants for a correctional offi
cer position were randomly assigned to two groups. One group was expos
ed to a videotaped realistic job preview designed to lower expectation
s, the second group was not exposed to the preview. Participants also
completed attitudinal and descriptive survey measures at three points
in time. Among the qualified applicants who were offered employment (n
= 1,117), 358 accepted positions as correctional officers. The previe
w resulted in a lower rate of job acceptance among applicants with pre
vious exposure to the job and a higher rate of acceptance among applic
ants with no previous job exposure (p<.05). Among officers with previo
us job exposure who saw the preview, retention was significantly lower
(p<.05) during a probationary employment period, and significantly hi
gher (p<.05) after the probationary period. Results of the survey meas
ures suggested that persons may have interpreted the realistic informa
tion differently depending upon their prior exposure to the job.