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Using structural equation modelling, the present study examined the effect of sex similarity on interviewers' evaluations of actual applicants and assessed whether interview quality mediated this effect. It was hypothesized that sex similarity would positively affect interview quality, which, in turn, would affect interview outcomes. Interviewers were expected to view interactions with same‐sex applicants as higher in quality than interactions with opposite‐sex applicants. As a result, same‐sex applicants were expected to receive more favourable outcomes than opposite‐sex applicants. Analysis of data from 680 interviews provided partial support for this hypothesis. Sex similarity did not affect male recruiters' perceptions of interview quality or evaluations of applicants. However, as hypothesized, female recruiters reported better interview experiences with female applicants than male applicants and, in turn, evaluated them more favourably. Gender differences in recruiters' communication styles, social identification processes, and reactions to organizational equal opportunity policies are offered as possible explanations for the disparate results for male and female recruiters.
Graves et al. (Sun,) studied this question.