The Effects of Interviewer Self-Monitoring on Male Appearance Discrimination in Employment Decisions

This research examined the effects of appearance discrimination toward men as regards employment decisions and the extent to which the degree of interviewer selfmonitoring influences these decisions. Past research has indicated that discrimination does indeed occur for women, but no empirical research has been conducted on male discrimination in which hair length has been manipulated. Specifically, length of hair (shoulder length, approximately 1 inch, and balding) was manipulated for potential job applicants. These conditions were examined across different types of jobs (traditionally conservative, neutral, and traditionally liberal). Several hypotheses are offered, with most focused on the concept that those scoring high in self-monitoring will base decisions on the fit of the applicant appearance to the type of job, whereas those scoring low on selfmonitoring will base their decisions more on the qualifications of the applicant. Results indicate that male appearance discrimination does not occur and that employer levels of self-monitoring have no impact on hiring decisions