Cultural differences play a large part in this first stage of the process. As L.K.Frank indicates, “In every culture the individual is of necessity cribbed, cabined and confined within the limitations of what his culture tells him see, to believe, to do and to feel…”
Second Stage – Organisation and Interpretation of Stimuli
The organisation and interpretation of external stimuli is a phenomenon most easily defined by the work of Max Wertheimer’s Gestalt school of psychology, with the words ‘structure’ and ‘organisation’ becoming the focal points for the Gestalt psychologists. They believe that stimuli can be organised in a certain way, and that it is to this structural organisation, rather than to individual sensory elements, that humans respond. Gestalt principles suggest that the analysis of stimuli by the human brain should not break down the stimuli into distinct parts but should instead focus on the broader picture. The central tenet is that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It makes sense to superimpose this Gestalt way of thinking upon a HR situation, implementing a more humanistic than dissecting and scientific approach.
Third Stage – Behavioural Reaction
The active process of perception ends with a behavioural reaction affected by previous experiences and learning. This does not have to be a movement, it can be a thought. During this stage of the process, behaviour may be altered, to ensure that stimuli are not challenging. For example, a supporter of the Conservative party might read The Telegraph to restrict their chances of having their political views tested.
Having now described the three stages of the perceptual process, but before examining the process of recruitment and selection, this essay will now describe three Gestalt principles on perception and show how these behavioural patterns could create perceptual distortions.
Human Psychology and Perceptual Distortions
The following section will refer to the work of Gestalt psychologists and make reference to the most common perceptual distortions that relate to recruitment and selection.
Gestalt Thinking
Gestalt psychologists seek to explain how the mind perceives and processes visual input based upon pattern seeking. The most significant prinicples that the School developed are;
- Figure and Ground
- Closure
- Grouping
The principle of figure/ground is one of the most basic laws of perception. In its basic sense, it refers to our ability to separate elements based upon contrast, that is, dark and light, black and white. It suggests that the eye differentiates an object from its surrounding area, a form, silhouette, or shape and then naturally perceived as figure (object), while the surrounding area is perceived as ground (background).
Balancing figure and ground can make the perceived image clearer.
The principle of closure suggests that as humans we tend to see complete figures even when part of the information is missing. The Gestalt theorists believed that the mind reacts to patterns that are familiar, even though we often receive incomplete information. It is speculated that this is a survival instinct, allowing us to complete the form of a predator even with incomplete information.
The principle of grouping refers to the characteristics of stimuli which cause humans to structure or interpret shapes, objects or problems in a certain way. The primary factors which effect grouping are; proximity, similarity, closure and simplicity.
Gestalt Theory and Perceptual Distortions
These three principles may be used to explain common patterns of distorted perception. Whenever we ‘fill in the blanks’ during a conversation without waiting for an explanation, accept our impulses over our intelligence or make assumptions without information we are exhibiting behaviour that is a natural adaptation to our environment. However this same behaviour creates prejudice. Four examples of this behaviour are Attribution Theory, Halo/Horn Theory, Projection and Stereotyping.
Attribution Theory (Heider’s Theory) advocates that behaviour is determined by internal (dispositional) or external (situational) factors. Whether our attributions of others are correct or incorrect, they have a strong influence in the way in which we interact with and make decisions about other individuals.
Halo/Horn Effect is the tendency to allow one good (halo) or one bad (horn) trait or characteristic about an individual to influence ones overall opinion of that person.
Laurie J Mullins (Management and Organisational Behaviour, copyright 2002 by Financial Times Pitman Publishing) defines Projection as “Attributing, or projecting one’s own feelings, motives or characteristics to other people…”
Freudian Projection suggests that individuals project their own unconscious or undesirable characteristics onto another individual.
Stereotyping is the tendency to form an opinion about how people of a given gender, religion, race, sex, appearance, or other characteristic think, act, respond or would perform a job – without any evidence that this is the case.
These four factors can impede the creation of an optimised recruitment process unless they are actively considered. The next section analyses each stage of the recruitment process in the light of this information.
Process of Recruitment and Selection
The Three Stages of Recruitment
Combating distorted perception requires analysis which leads to a strategy. “Strategy is the stream in which a range of disparate activities takes place.” (The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, Mintzberg, H, copyright 1994 by Hemel Hempstead, Pentice Hall). Recruitment and selection is always strategic because a range of activities needs to happen to find the correct candidate to fill a position.
In order to define a strategy, the recruitment and selection process can be broken down into the following three stages; defining the recruitment requirement, sourcing and attracting candidates and finally, selection.
The initial stage of the process firstly establishes that there is a need. From here the position should be analysed to determine pay, and then a job description and person specification created.
The second stage of the process concerns the sourcing and attracting of candidates. Candidates can be attracted and sourced in a variety of ways, including; advertising via the media, employment agencies, open days and assessment centres.
The final stage is selection using primary and main filters. Some examples of primary filters are; CV, application form, letter of application and telephone screening. Examples of main filters are; interview, tests (psychometric/practical), assessment centres (group exercises/role plays/in-tray exercises), references, medical examinations and criminal record vetting.
During each stage of the recruitment process perceptual distortions can materialise. The next section of this essay will highlight where in the recruitment process this can happen.
Linking Perception to Recruitment and Selection
Many recruitment campaigns are measured by how cheaply individuals are hired. The goal is simple – spend as little as possible. Even this simplistic view of recruitment can be enhanced by a simple application of certain psychological principles of perception. However, for the process to work, recruiters need to fully understand the power of perception and how and when biases, discriminations and distortions can occur. If they can combine this with innovative and pioneering recruitment techniques, retention and minority representation will increase. The following list shows a process of recruitment with knowledge of Gestalt theory and perceptual distortions.
- Establishing That There Is A Need For a Vacancy To Be Recruited To
During this stage the theory of closure could be applied, as it may be that the recruiter does not fully appreciate the needs of a particular manager/department.
It may well be that the position could be filled in other ways i.e.; night shift or call centre staff could be delegated administration to do in their quiet periods.
- Analysing The Position To Determine Pay
The Gestalt principle of figure and ground, which seeks to explain how we separate contrasting elements, can affect this stage of the recruitment process. A lot of the background information available at this stage is not important. Job analysis should not be based on the last person in the role or an ideal in the mind of the recruiter. This is important from both the employers and candidates’ point of view.
When a position is analysed to determine pay, certain biases could arise. All humans have their own perceptual world and within that, are visions of what is important and what is not. This world is selective, partial and is focused on points of interest. Therefore, during this stage it is possible that the person determining the pay may assume that a higher salary may attract a higher calibre of candidate.
As a result they will already be stereotyping.
This stage may also see inequalities relating to pay between men and women. According to the Equal Pay Act 1970 an equality clause operates when a person is employed on ‘like work’, work rated as equivalent or work of equal value to that of a person of the opposite sex in the same employment.
- Writing The Job Description and Person Specification
Discriminations of all kinds appear on the person specification and job description, and repeatedly incorporate stereotypes.
It is vital at the stage that subjectivity is eliminated as much as possible to protect candidates from unfair discrimination. The following acts help protect against workplace discrimination. These are The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 which makes it unlawful for employers with twenty or more employees to discriminate against existing or prospective staff for a reason relating to their disability.
Under Section 4 of The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, it relieves rehabilitated persons from the obligation to disclose ‘spent’ convictions to a prospective employer and makes it unlawful for an employer to deny employment on the grounds that the applicant had a conviction that was ‘spent’.
The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Race Relations Act 1976 outlaws discrimination on the grounds of marital status, racial grounds (meaning colour, race, and nationality, national or ethnic origins).
Whilst working at Unilever I was witness to direct stereotyping during this stage of the recruitment process. I was working with the manager of the Careline section of the business, who wanted to recruit two new members of staff. The person specification which she put together included several points which had to be amended to comply with employment law. She requested firstly that the applicant be female, and that she possessed strong literary and writing skills, that they be aged over 25 and lived within 15 miles of Crawley.
- Attracting The Candidates
Advertisements are one way to attract candidates and depending upon where they are placed will determine what type of candidate is attracted. For example a retailer in a predominately ethnic community may well advertise in a specific publication, therefore excluding other members of the community who would not read the publication.
- Selecting Using Primary Filters
The Application Form – Figure and ground can occur when one piece of information is extracted from the application and given more importance than anything else. A candidate may list golf as one of their hobbies on the application form. The person recruiting is a keen golfer and therefore selects this person for interview.
Questions on the application form about marital status could, for example, be held to be an intention to discriminate, as can asking questions about race and sex.
Assuming about people as mentioned earlier is referred to by Gestalt as closure, and it happens when a recruiter fills in the gaps without knowing the answer. During this stage recruiters may assume that because of a candidate’s age they cannot perform as well as a younger counterpart. They may assume that because of job changes on their application form that they are job hoppers.
- Selecting Using Main Filters
The Interview – The ‘halo’ effect can occur when an interviewer allows one strong point about the candidate to overshadow or colour everything else. For instance, knowing someone went to a particular university might be looked on favourably, and everything they say during the interview is seen in this light. The ‘horn’ effect works just the opposite, when the interviewer allows one weak point to influence everything else. For instance the interviewer may assume that just because someone is late they will not be a punctual employee.
Stereotyping often happens here, whereby interviewers form an opinion about how people of a given gender, religion or race would perform the job. Assumptions may be made that’s its not practical to recruit a married woman in her early thirties, who does not have any children. The recruiter is assuming that she wants children and will eventually go on maternity leave.
Conclusion
Perception is truly complex, and for most HR practioners working on recruitment, it is a concept that very seldom gets addressed. Therefore it needs to be tackled at a strategic level, with the introduction of processes which will eliminate subjectivity and discrimination as much as possible.
It is recommended that the recruitment process be replaced with an ‘innovative’ recruitment process. Where instead of having the traditional job description and person specification, a company employs talent scouts who are in the field instead of based behind a desk. It is suggested to test, not interview. It is proposed that after passing appropriate tests, applicants are offered a job, whatever their race, religion or sex. This will help ensure a representative mix of employees.
For those that are involved daily in recruitment it is proposed that they are made aware of the damage caused by ones perceptual set and prejudices, and receive appropriate training.
This essay has looked in detail at the process of perception and recruitment and how our understanding of these may enhance our abilities in recruiting and selecting a candidate. Although it helps to be aware of the power of perception, can understanding truly eliminate discriminations and perceptual distortions?
In our species, perception and subjective analysis is a constant conscious and subconscious process and it’s a factor of our behaviour that may possibly change with every conversation we have, every radio broadcast, TV programme and newspaper article we ingest. We can perhaps only hope to move slowly towards a more positive approach, but move we must.
CPD Log
What have I learned from writing this essay?
- A deeper understanding of Perception and the Recruitment and Selection process
- The importance of breaking down an essay title to fully understand the meaning
- The importance of writing a structured essay plan at the start of my research
What problems/difficulties did I have?
- I went on holiday in between writing this essay and my last assignment, and although I went on holiday with good intentions of reading whilst away, this didn’t happen. When I returned to college I did feel a little swamped and had wished that I had started work much earlier on.
Bibliography
Mullins, L. (2002) “Management and Organisational Behaviour” Prentice Hall – Financial Times
Reed, A. (2001) “Innovation in Human Resource Management”
CIPD
Roberts, G (2000) “Recruitment and Selection”
CIPD
Lewis, D (1998) “Essentials of Employment Law”
IPD
Farr, J (1993) “Personnel Selection and Assessment – Individual and Organizational Perspectives”
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
02nd December 2002
02nd December 2002
Emily Mason - Enrolment # H03953
December 2002
