Preference Reversals in Personnel Selection

Abstract

Preference reversals, in which one alternative is preferred in a choice task while another alternative is preferred in a judgment task, may occur in personnel selection. If so, the candidate who is assigned the highest predictor score may not be the candidate the selector would have chosen. Previous research does not clearly indicate the rate of preference reversals that are likely to occur in personnel selection. A simulated selection task carried out by 157 managers revealed near-zero levels of preference reversals. Implications for decision theory and personnel selection research are discussed.