Trait affectivity and applicant reactions: a multiwave field study

Abstract

PurposeAlthough affective accounts of organizational justice theory have been offered, suggesting a role played by trait affectivity dimensions – trait positive affectivity (TPA) and trait negative affectivity (TNA) - in shaping applicant reactions to selection procedures, research in this area relies on cognitive information processing accounts of justice perceptions. Thus, the role played by TPA and TNA in shaping applicant reactions is an underexplored area. This study explicates and tests the role of TPA and TNA in shaping reactions.Design/methodology/approachThe authors carried out a three-wave field study of police job applicants, measuring TPA and TNA before testing and applicant justice perceptions and recommendation intentions pre-feedback and post-feedback.FindingsTPA, but not TNA, was positively associated with justice perceptions and recommendation intentions. Mediation analyses suggested that the TPA-recommendation intentions relationship was mediated through justice perceptions.Practical implicationsRecruiting high TPA applicants can benefit future applicant pools due to enhanced recommendation intentions. High TPA applicants react more favorably to positive features; thus, procedures should conform to procedural justice rules so that favorable aspects exist for high TPA applicants to respond favorably towards.Originality/valueThe authors’ work is the first to integrate affective accounts of the justice perception formation process into applicant reactions research. Their work supports a role served by affect in shaping applicant fairness perceptions and provides novel and important insights for both theory and practice.