WHEN INTERVIEWERS DESIRE TO CONFIRM NEGATIVE EXPECTATIONS - SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECIES AND INFLATED APPLICANT SELF-PERCEPTIONS

We investigated the moderating influence of interviewer goals (accurac y vs. expectation confirmation) on the effects of preinterview expecta tions in simulated employment interviews. Consistent with past finding s, accuracy-motivated interviewers gathered information more thoroughl y from their negative-expectation applicants, mitigating the effects o f their expectations. In contrast, confirmation-goal interviewers (a) asked their negative-expectation applicants relatively few questions, leading them to perform relatively poorly; and (b) displayed greater i nterpersonal warmth toward them, in an apparent attempt to mask the so cial undesirability of their goal. The interaction of few questions as ked and great interpersonal warmth led the negative-expectation applic ants to overestimate greatly the quality of their performance. These f indings point to the costs associated with having interviewers motivat ed to confirm negative preinterview expectations and illustrate more g enerally the critical moderating role of social motives in expectation -tinged encounters.