The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[rjamil]

Two candidates arrived at the headquarters of a prestigious firm for a final-round job interview.

The first candidate was impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, neat, clean, and perfectly groomed. The second candidate was a complete contrast—disheveled, covered in dust, with visible dirt on their hands and clothes from a mishap on the way to the office.

They were escorted into the executive boardroom together. The HR manager took one look at the pair, frowned deeply, and barked a sharp command: "Before we begin, go and take a shower first!"

Considering human psychology, social perception, and the way people view themselves through the eyes of others, who will actually go and take the shower?

R. Jamil

[Leren]

As this does not seem to be a logic puzzle but one about people I think it's the first candidate who will take the shower. My amateur psychologist reasoning is as follows.

The first candidate appears to be an appearance perfectionist in terms of how he thinks he is perceived by others. The sharply barked command triggers a survival reflex in him such that he must take a shower.

The second candidate may have had a mishap but doesn't seem to have made any attempt to clean himself up.

I'd say appearance is not high on his value system, so he would be prepared to take the interview as is, perhaps truthfully explaining his dishevelled appearance being due to a mishap as descibed.

Leren

[rjamil]

My amateur psychologist reasoning is ...

This is one part of the view. What about the other parts? The social perception, and the way people view themselves through the eyes of others?

R. Jamil