Applicant reactions to rejection: Fairness and attributional style as moderators

While applicant reactions to selection (un)fairness have often been investigated, less is known about applicants’ attributions and reactions to specific performance feedback. This paper discusses two studies into the influence of fairness perceptions and attributional processing on well-being and organizational perceptions after rejection. In both studies, distributive fairness and attributional style interactively influenced post-rejection well-being, with optimistically attributing individuals showing higher well-being when fairness perceptions were low. In Study 2, performance feedback negatively influenced rejected individuals’ well-being, and influenced the interaction effect of fairness and attributional style. Distributive fairness positively affected post-rejection organizational perceptions. Finally, performance feedback and attributional style interactively influenced post-rejection organizational perceptions. Implications for future research and practice concerning this issue are considered.

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Reacties van sollicitanten op selectieprocedures en -uitkomsten

Gedrag & Organisatie ◽

10.5117/2013.026.004.379 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Sonja Schinkel ◽

Annelies E.M. van Vianen ◽

Dirk van Dierendonck

Keyword(s):

Attributional Style ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Well Being ◽

Positive Influence ◽

Doctoral Dissertation ◽

Applicant Reactions ◽

Selection Procedures ◽

Fairness Perceptions ◽

Effects Of Feedback ◽

The Impact

Applicant reactions to selection events: Effects of feedback, fairness, and attributions Applicant reactions to selection events: Effects of feedback, fairness, and attributions Despite the growing attention for the impact of selection procedures and outcomes on applicants, little is yet known about the factors that may influence these relationships. The general findings of a recent doctoral dissertation are presented in this article. The research in this dissertation was directed at investigating the separate and combined influences of selection feedback, fairness perceptions, and attributions on a diversity of applicant reactions: well-being, self-evaluations and perceptions of the organization. Based on four empirical studies it is shown that feedback and fairness do not merely have a positive influence on applicant reactions, and that attributional style plays an important role in the formation of reactions. Therefore, both organizations and applicants may benefit from more reflection on selection feedback and fairness by researchers and practitioners alike.

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The Buffering Effect of Character Strengths on Depression

European Journal of Health Psychology ◽

10.1027/2512-8442/a000036 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 101-109

Author(s):

Beatrice Lee ◽

Cahit Kaya ◽

Xiangli Chen ◽

Jia-Rung Wu ◽

Kanako Iwanaga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Attributional Style ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Character Strengths ◽

Empirically Supported ◽

High School To College ◽

Transition From High School ◽

Adjustment Issues ◽

Negative Attributional Style

Abstract. The transition from high school to college can be very stressful for Turkish students because they may experience value conflicts and adjustment issues, which can trigger the development of mental health problems. Character strengths can serve as a buffer against psychopathology. The aim of the study was to examine perceived stress and negative attributional style as mediating factors between character strengths and depression among Turkish college students. Bootstrap testing approach was implemented to compute direct and indirect effects and total effect in the mediation analysis. Altogether 235 students from two Turkish universities participated in the study. The results showed that character strengths were associated with lower levels of depression and it was negatively associated with perceived stress and negative attributional style. The results also indicated that perceived stress and negative attribution style completely mediated the relationship between character strengths and depression among Turkish college students. These findings suggested the need to develop empirically supported interventions that can promote character strengths toward reducing stress, negative attributions, and depression in this population.

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