EFFECTS OF DISCRIMINATORY INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND GENDER ON APPLICANT REACTIONS Alan M. Saks Julie M. McCarthy University of Toronto ABSTRACT: Justice and signalling theory were used to explain the effects of discriminatory interview questions on applicant reactions. Participants were randomly assigned to a hypothetical interview condition with four, two or no discriminatory questions. Discriminatory questions had a significant negative effect on participant’s reactions to the interview and interviewer; perceptions of employee treatment; and intentions to pursue employment, accept a job offer, and recommend the organization to others. Participants also responded less favorably to a female interviewer, and female interviewees reported more negative per- ceptions. In addition, a sequential model was supported in which discriminatory questions had a negative effect on reactions toward the interview and inter- viewer; reactions were positively related to organizational attractiveness; and organizational attractiveness was positively related to intentions to pursue employment, accept a job offer, and recommend the organization. KEY WORDS: discrimination; interview; applicant; gender; reactions; perceptions. Although the employment interview is the most common selection technique and perceived by job applicants more favorably than other selection methods, it continues to be plagued with bias and discrimina- tion (Hausknecht, Day, & Thomas, 2004; Posthuma, Morgeson, & Campion, 2002). One of the reasons for this is that interviewers often request inappropriate or unlawful information from job applicants (Bennington, 2001; Keyton & Springston, 1992; McShulskis, 1997; Address correspondence to Alan M. Saks, Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources, Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. E-mail: saks@utsc.utoronto.ca Journal of Business and Psychology (Ó2006) DOI: 10.1007/s10869-006-9024-7 Ó 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.