Qu'est-ce que Contrast Effect ?

Definition

The contrast effect occurs when a candidate's evaluation is distorted by comparison with the preceding (or following) candidates rather than measured against objective, absolute criteria. A strong candidate interviewed after several weak ones may be rated more highly than their absolute performance justifies; a good candidate following an exceptional one may appear weaker than they actually are.

In practice

The contrast effect is particularly powerful in same-day back-to-back interviews, where candidates are inevitably compared to whoever came before. It explains why interview panels sometimes struggle to be consistent when evaluating a day's worth of candidates. The effect interacts with anchoring bias: the first candidate or the strongest candidate anchors expectations. Structural countermeasures include pre-defining behavioural anchors for each rating level before seeing any candidates, scoring independently after each individual interview (not at the end of the day), and using consistent scoring sheets that require documented behavioural evidence rather than global impressions.

Key takeaway

Rate candidates against the role's requirements, not against each other — the goal is to find people who meet the standard, not simply the best of a particular batch.