CONFIRMING FIRST IMPRESSIONS IN THE EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEW - A FIELD-STUDY OF INTERVIEWER BEHAVIOR

This research examined behavioral styles used by interviewers to confi rm their first impressions of job applicants. Three interviewers in a corporate setting formed first impressions based on application blank and test score information. They then conducted autiotaped interviews. Coders independently coded 79 interviews and found that first impress ions were related to confirmatory behavior. Interviews followed up pos itive first impressions, for example, by showing positive regard towar d applicants, ''selling'' the company and giving job information, and gathering less information. Applicants' communication style and rappor t with interviewers also differed. Significant differences in confirma tory behaviors also occurred among the three interviewers. A number of interviewer behaviors, especially positive regard, were related to ap plicant behavior in interviews. Although previous studies of expectanc y confirmation have produced mixed results, our results suggest that i nterviewers in natural settings do use confirmatory strategies, unders coring the importance of additional research on ''self-fulfilling prop hecies.''