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Reactions to diversity in recruitment advertising--are differences black and white?
1Department of Management, Erivan K Haub School of Business, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19131-1395, USA. davery@sju.edu
The Journal of Applied Psychology
|August 28, 2003
Summary
Racial diversity in recruitment ads appeals to Black viewers, especially when shown in leadership roles. White viewers showed no significant response to ad diversity, indicating complex reactions to inclusive corporate messaging.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Human Resources Management
Background:
- Corporate recruitment advertisements increasingly feature racial diversity.
- There is a common belief that diverse ads attract more applicants, but empirical evidence is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of racial diversity in recruitment ads on organizational attractiveness.
- To examine how diversity at different hierarchical levels affects applicant perceptions.
- To explore the role of viewer race and openness to diversity in these reactions.
Main Methods:
- Manipulated ad diversity at two hierarchical levels (entry-level and supervisory).
- Assessed organizational attractiveness among 273 Black and White university students.
- Measured participants' other-group orientation (openness to racial diversity).
Main Results:
- White viewers' perceptions of organizational attractiveness were not significantly affected by ad diversity.
- Black viewers showed increased attraction to ads with racial diversity, particularly when it included supervisory-level positions.
- The influence of ad diversity on Black viewers was moderated by their openness to racial diversity.
Conclusions:
- Racial diversity in recruitment ads can enhance organizational attractiveness for Black applicants, especially when diversity extends to leadership roles.
- The effectiveness of diverse recruitment advertising is contingent on the viewer's racial background and their general openness to diversity.
- Findings challenge simple assumptions about the universal appeal of diverse advertising and highlight the importance of intersectional analysis in diversity research.