What friends tell you about justice: The influence of peer communication on applicant reactions

This study examined the influence of peer communication concerning a selection procedure on the levels of anxiety among applicants taking a test and test motivation regarding a similar selection procedure, through the formation of interpersonal and distributive justice expectations. The hypotheses were addressed in a randomized four-group experiment. The results of the mediated hierarchical regression analyses showed significant mediating effects. Specifically, peer communication about interpersonal justice shaped applicants’ interpersonal justice expectations, which in turn related negatively to applicants’ levels of test anxiety. Peer communication about distributive justice shaped applicants’ distributive justice expectations, which in turn related positively to applicants’ test motivation.