Interviews Instead of Self-Reports? Investigating Cues and Questions for the Detection of Honesty-Humility in Employment Interviews

Abstract

Honesty-Humility is a valuable predictor in selection because of its organizational and job consequences. This research examines the interview as a selection method for Honesty-Humility and how to improve its detection. Study One investigated interviewers’ ability to detect this trait, as well as cues of this trait in the interview. Subject matter experts watched video-taped interviews and rated the candidates. Results demonstrated that experts are reliable at detecting Honesty-Humility, however their accuracy is low. Study Two then examined interview questions to detect Honesty-Humility. It was hypothesized that general personality-tailored questions help increase Honesty-Humility detection more than questions tapping into Honesty-Humility. It was also hypothesized that using probes would increase Honesty-Humility detection. Nine hundred and thirty-three M-Turk workers watched and rated five interviews. Results found that general questions and probes, and specific questions without probes improve Honesty-Humility detection. These findings support the Realistic Accuracy Model and provide implications for HH-based interviews.