Anticipated dissatisfaction with undesirable jobs causes discrimination against attractive candidates

Publication Type

Conference Proceeding Article

Publication Date

8-2016

Abstract

With few exceptions, physically attractive candidates are believed to fare better when applying for jobs. However, prior research on attractiveness discrimination in selection decisions focused almost exclusively on desirable jobs, such as well-paid and prestigious jobs. We propose that for less desirable jobs, which may in reality constitute the majority of positions, candidates’ attractiveness may have different consequences. Importantly, employee dissatisfaction is an issue with undesirable jobs (more so than with desirable jobs), and employee dissatisfaction has negative implications for organizations. Therefore, when selecting candidates for undesirable jobs, decision makers try to ascertain whether a candidate would be satisfied in those jobs. Because attractive candidates are stereotyped as feeling entitled to good outcomes, they are seen as more likely to be dissatisfied in undesirable (but not desirable) jobs, and are for that reason discriminated against. Three experiments found support for this theory. Our work shows that different discriminatory processes operate when decision makers select among candidates for undesirable jobs, and that attractive people might be systematically discriminated against in a segment of the workforce that, on average, enjoys fewer benefits in life.

Keywords

attractiveness, entitlement, selection

Discipline

Human Resources Management | Organizational Behavior and Theory

Research Areas

Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources

Publication

Academy of Management Proceedings: 2016 Meeting, Anaheim, August

Identifier

10.5465/AMBPP.2016.26

Publisher

Academy of Management

City or Country

San Diego

Comments

Best Paper Proceedings

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2016.26

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