Date of Award
12-2007
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Legacy Department
Applied Psychology
Committee Chair/Advisor
Raymark, Patrick
Committee Member
Pak , Richard
Committee Member
Pury , Cynthia
Abstract
The present study examined the potential relationship between specific characteristics of organizational recruitment web sites and applicant attraction to the organization. Cober, Brown, Keeping, and Levy (2004) proposed a conceptual model that suggests web site aesthetics influence the applicant's attitude toward the web site which in turn influences applicant attraction. The current study provides a partial test of this model by examining web site aesthetics, prior attitudes toward the organization, initial affective reactions to the web site, perceptions of web site usability and post-viewing attitudes toward the site and the organization. Participants (N = 159) included undergraduate students using the Department of Psychology's Subject Pool at a medium-sized southeastern university. Data was analyzed using multi-level modeling. Results provide support that aesthetic characteristics influence participants initial affective reactions to the site. Also, participant's initial affective reactions influenced perceptions of usability, post-viewing attitude toward the web site, and attraction to the organization. Perceptions of usability also influenced attraction toward the organization and also partially mediated the relation between initial affective reactions and post-viewing attitude toward the site. Finally, post-viewing attitude toward the site partially mediated the relation between initial affective reactions and attraction to the organization as well as the relation between perceptions of usability and attraction to the organization.
Recommended Citation
Wills, Rebekkah, "Organizational Recruitment Web Sites: The Influence of Web Site Aesthetics on Initial Affective Reactions to the Site and Subsequent Attraction to the Organization" (2007). All Theses. 252.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/252