Contrast bias leads to evaluation of a candidate against whom?

• A. The preceding candidates instead of objective criteria.
• B. The candidate's prior experience as the sole basis.
• C. The job description determines evaluation more than any other factor.
• D. The final decision is based on gut feeling.

Answer: (B)

Contrast bias occurs when you judge someone by how they compare to a reference point rather than against objective, job-related criteria. In hiring, that reference point often comes from the prior candidate’s level of experience, which becomes the benchmark you use to assess the current applicant. As a result, you evaluate the new candidate against the prior candidate’s experience, making that prior experience the basis for your judgment. This helps explain why the option that frames the comparison as driven by the prior candidate’s experience (as the sole basis for comparison) is the best fit. The idea is not about fulfilling the job description or relying on gut feelings, but about letting the previous candidate’s experience set the yardstick for evaluation.