AntI-social facilitation: Artificial intelligence as a mediator for interview performance
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Psychology
Minor
Social & Behavioral Studies
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Jana Hackathorn
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
The purpose of this research is to expand upon knowledge about the use of AI in interview settings. As AI engineering is a swiftly growing branch of computer science, interaction between humans and AI programs are becoming commonplace in everyday life. Multiple companies are already looking into AI as a mediator for interviews and are finding great success as it is 70% accurate and management has even reported satisfaction scores as high as 85% (Lee, B.C. & Kim B.Y., 2021). However, many of the ramifications of AI entering the field of selecting candidates are still unclear. This study examines one line of uncertainty relating to how AI is perceived socially and how its perception may influence interview performances of the interviewee i.e. social facilitation.
Prior research indicates that people tend to mindlessly anthropomorphize machines (attribute human characteristics to machines not because they view them as humans, but because they have learned correct social habits which they also use while communicating with computers, like saying "please" or "thank you") (Nass and Moon, 2002). As AI has become more advanced and people have used them as conversational agents or CA's, programs that one is capable of having a full conversation with. Because of AI's continued advancment, there has been a shift partial shift in how people treat AI. People tend to use verbiage unique to humans with ai (such as personal pronouns) and have even admitted to feeling a form of social presence while conversing with CA's (Araujo, 2018).
As social facilitation (The enhancement of dominant responses while in the presence of others) is a process of arousal driven by social presence, the extent to which CA's are socially present matters (Zajonc, 1965; Zhu R., 2024). Previous studies have examined the presence of AI and computer avatars as observers and competitors while examining the social facilitation effect, finding that their social presence was at least partially dependent on the cognitive framing which people ascribed to them based on the tasks they were engaged in (Anderson-Hanley, 2011; Zhu R., 2024). However, most studies featuring AI as a social evaluator, in the context of social facilitation research, have only allowed it to act as a passive observer. As of now, the role AI may play in moderating social facilitation in settings where it acts as a CA and an evaluator are largely unknown. Therefore, this study seeks to find to what extent an imaginary AI may be perceived as socially present and the extent to which said social presence may affect interview performances (specifically measuring complexity of word choice or the extent to which participants may try to manage impressions) (Leary, M.R., and Kowalski, R.M., 1990).
Through this research, critical gaps in the present literature will be addressed. Specifically, participants survey responses will be collected to determine why the social facilitation effect is occurring; or if it is due to the presence of a social actor as mere presence theory suggests, their hypothetical presence as an evaluator as learned-drive theory suggests, or if their arousal is caused by any uncertainty that comes from AI social interaction if viewed from a social-monitoring theory based perspective. This study will also shed light on the extent to which people are comfortable with AI taking more active roles in the recruitment process for interviews, if they believe such role taking is fair, and in advance general knowledge about how people view AI as a social presence.
Spring Scholars Week 2026
Psychology: Projects In-Progress
AntI-social facilitation: Artificial intelligence as a mediator for interview performance
The purpose of this research is to expand upon knowledge about the use of AI in interview settings. As AI engineering is a swiftly growing branch of computer science, interaction between humans and AI programs are becoming commonplace in everyday life. Multiple companies are already looking into AI as a mediator for interviews and are finding great success as it is 70% accurate and management has even reported satisfaction scores as high as 85% (Lee, B.C. & Kim B.Y., 2021). However, many of the ramifications of AI entering the field of selecting candidates are still unclear. This study examines one line of uncertainty relating to how AI is perceived socially and how its perception may influence interview performances of the interviewee i.e. social facilitation.
Prior research indicates that people tend to mindlessly anthropomorphize machines (attribute human characteristics to machines not because they view them as humans, but because they have learned correct social habits which they also use while communicating with computers, like saying "please" or "thank you") (Nass and Moon, 2002). As AI has become more advanced and people have used them as conversational agents or CA's, programs that one is capable of having a full conversation with. Because of AI's continued advancment, there has been a shift partial shift in how people treat AI. People tend to use verbiage unique to humans with ai (such as personal pronouns) and have even admitted to feeling a form of social presence while conversing with CA's (Araujo, 2018).
As social facilitation (The enhancement of dominant responses while in the presence of others) is a process of arousal driven by social presence, the extent to which CA's are socially present matters (Zajonc, 1965; Zhu R., 2024). Previous studies have examined the presence of AI and computer avatars as observers and competitors while examining the social facilitation effect, finding that their social presence was at least partially dependent on the cognitive framing which people ascribed to them based on the tasks they were engaged in (Anderson-Hanley, 2011; Zhu R., 2024). However, most studies featuring AI as a social evaluator, in the context of social facilitation research, have only allowed it to act as a passive observer. As of now, the role AI may play in moderating social facilitation in settings where it acts as a CA and an evaluator are largely unknown. Therefore, this study seeks to find to what extent an imaginary AI may be perceived as socially present and the extent to which said social presence may affect interview performances (specifically measuring complexity of word choice or the extent to which participants may try to manage impressions) (Leary, M.R., and Kowalski, R.M., 1990).
Through this research, critical gaps in the present literature will be addressed. Specifically, participants survey responses will be collected to determine why the social facilitation effect is occurring; or if it is due to the presence of a social actor as mere presence theory suggests, their hypothetical presence as an evaluator as learned-drive theory suggests, or if their arousal is caused by any uncertainty that comes from AI social interaction if viewed from a social-monitoring theory based perspective. This study will also shed light on the extent to which people are comfortable with AI taking more active roles in the recruitment process for interviews, if they believe such role taking is fair, and in advance general knowledge about how people view AI as a social presence.