Why Do Situational Interviews Predict Performance? Is it Saying How You Would Behave or Knowing How You Should...

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Human Resource Management
• Personnel Selection

Background:

• Situational interviews are widely used in personnel selection.
• Their validity in predicting work-related performance is well-established, but the underlying mechanisms remain debated.
• Two primary explanations for their effectiveness include measuring behavioral intentions or the ability to discern situational demands.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate two competing theoretical explanations for the predictive validity of situational interviews.
• To determine whether situational interviews measure behavioral intentions or the ability to interpret situational demands.
• To elucidate the 'black box' of situational interview effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A 2-day selection simulation was conducted with 101 student participants.
• Participants' behavioral intentions and their ability to decipher situational demands were assessed.
• Performance in both the interview and subsequent work-related situations was measured.

Main Results:

• A moderate similarity was found between participants' stated intentions and their actual behavior.
• The data did not fully support the behavioral intentions explanation.
• Participants' ability to decipher situational demands was significantly related to interview and work performance.
• This ability partially mediated the relationship between situational interviews and work performance.

Conclusions:

• The ability to correctly decipher situational demands is a key factor in situational interview validity.
• Assessing this ability may enhance the accuracy of selection decisions.
• This is particularly relevant for positions requiring a strong understanding of complex situational demands.