Why Do Applicants (Dis)Like Selection Methods? The Role of Stimulus and Response Format for Need Satisfaction

In today's employment market, it is important to use selection instruments that resonate positively with applicants. To advance the theoretical understanding of why applicants react differently to different selection instruments, this study examines how the satisfaction of basic psychological needs influences applicant reactions, specifically perceived interpersonal warmth and opportunity to perform. Using a 2 × 2 between-subjects design, this study systematically manipulated two method factors, namely, the stimulus format (written vs. interactive) and the response format (open-ended vs. close-ended) of selection instruments that were designed to measure the same personality traits. Drawing on self-determination theory, this study proposes and tests the satisfaction of the needs for relatedness, autonomy, and competence as a mechanism to explain the relationships between specific method factors and applicant reactions. Regarding the stimulus format, results indicated no effect on need satisfaction, but a positive effect of an interactive stimulus format on interpersonal warmth, when combined with an open-ended response format. Regarding the response format, results indicated that an open-ended response format increased perceptions of opportunity to perform, mediated by greater satisfaction of the need for autonomy. Practical implications for the design of selection instruments are presented.