Virtual Reality-, Video- or Text-Based SJTs: Investigating the Effect of Stimulus Format on Presence and Organizational Attractiveness Across Age Groups

Emerging technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), are increasingly used in personnel selection processes, for example, to present scenarios in situational judgment tests (SJTs). Despite growing concerns about workforce aging and labor market shortages, limited research has explored how test characteristics interact with applicants’ age. Drawing on the modular approach to personnel selection procedures, two experimental studies among 122 (Study 1: video- vs. text-based stimulus) and 121 participants (Study 2: VR- vs. text-based stimulus) investigated the interaction between stimulus format and test-takers’ age in relation to perceptions of presence and organizational attractiveness. Results of Study 1 showed that a video-based format increased presence but did not significantly affect organizational attractiveness compared to a text-based format. Further, presence did not mediate the relationship between stimulus format and organizational attractiveness, and age did not moderate the effects. In contrast, a VR-based stimulus significantly enhanced both presence and organizational attractiveness compared to a text-based format, with stronger effects among younger and middle-aged test-takers than older ones. Moreover, presence mediated the relationship between stimulus format and organizational attractiveness. These findings emphasize the importance of applying a human-centric approach when considering test characteristics and age-related differences in the development of fair selection procedures.