7.6 Challenges to Validity

Question 1

What factors affect the validity and reliability of performance reviews?

Answer 1

rater errors, incomplete or inaccurate information, and poor communication.

Question 2

Out of the various types of validity (empirical, content, and construct), which is legally defensible if challenged in court?

Answer 2

empirical validity

Question 3

What happens if information is lacking or false?

Answer 3

The performance data is not considered valid.

Question 4

What is essential in the performance review process?

Answer 4

two-way communication

Question 5

What are the rating errors that can occur?

Answer 5

Halo and Horn Error
Error of Leniency
Error of Strictness
Central Tendency Bias
Primary and Recency Effects
Contrast Effects
Spillover Effects
Similarity Error

Question 6

Define Halo effect

Answer 6

occurs because supervisors allow one positive characteristic (or behavior) of the employee to overshadow all other characteristics (or behaviors) of the employee.

Question 7

Define horn error

Answer 7

occurs when a poor rating in one area unjustly affects ratings in other job performance areas, resulting in a poor overall appraisal.

Question 8

Define error of leniency

Answer 8

occurs when, to avoid conflict, a manager rates subordinates higher than they should be rated. This is especially likely to happen when there are no organizational sanctions against high ratings,

Question 9

Define error or strictness

Answer 9

occurs when either inexperienced raters, raters who are attempting to impress their own superiors by their strict standards, or raters who are trying to “settle accounts” with employees, are involved in the evaluation process.

Question 10

Define central tendency bias

Answer 10

Raters with a large span of control and little opportunity to observe behavior are likely to rate the majority of incumbents in the middle of the scale rather than too high or too low. “play it safe” and evaluate employees as average, even when performance varies.

Question 11

Define primary effects

Answer 11

When special attention is paid to the first information logged or remembered, it is referred to as the primary bias or effect. Raters will use initial information to categorize a ratee as either a good or poor performer. Subsequently, information that supports the initial judgments is accumulated, and contradictory information is ignored.

Question 12

Define Recency effects

Answer 12

Rater may not pay attention to an employee’s performance during the appraisal period. As a result, when the appraisal interview draws near, the rater may search for information cues about the value of performance. Recent behaviors are then weighted more heavily than they should be.

Question 13

Define contrast effect

Answer 13

occurs when the evaluation or observation of one subordinate’s performance is affected unjustly by an earlier evaluation or observation of another employee’s performance. When compared to weak employees, an average employee will appear outstanding; when evaluated against outstanding employees, an average employee will be perceived as a low performer.

Question 14

Define spillover effect

Answer 14

occurs when past performance appraisal ratings, whether good or bad, are allowed to unjustly influence correct ratings.

Question 15

Define similarity error (also known as the “like me” bias)

Answer 15

occurs when raters evaluate more positively those whom they perceive to be similar to themselves. The implicit assumption underlying this error is that they themselves are (or have been) “model” employees and thus subordinate similarity will most likely reflect good performance.

Question 16

When does a contrast effect occur in performance appraisals?

When the appraisal is based on only recent events
When past performance appraisal ratings are allowed to influence current ratings
When one subordinate’s performance is unjustly affected by an earlier evaluation of another employee
When raters assign higher rating to those whom they feel are similar to themselves

Answer 16

When one subordinate’s performance is unjustly affected by an earlier evaluation of another employee

Question 17

Which of the following statements is true?

Halo effect occurs when a poor rating in one area affects all other areas resulting in a poor overall appraisal
Horn effect occurs when a supervisor does not allow one characteristic of an employee to overshadow all others
Halo effect occurs when a supervisor allows one positive characteristic of an employee to overshadow all others
Horn effect occurs when all areas are poor, but the overall appraisal is high

Answer 17

Halo effect occurs when a supervisor allows one positive characteristic of an employee to overshadow all others

Question 18

When is the error of leniency most likely to happen?

When raters have a large span of control and little opportunity to observe
When raters are trying to impress supervisors by showing how strict they are
When there are no sanctions against high ratings
When the employee is perceived to be similar to the rater

Answer 18

When there are no sanctions against high ratings

Question 19

What is a way to minimize the errors caused by primary or recency effects?

Weighing more heavily the events that occurred at the beginning of the rating period.
Trying to remember what has happened throughout the rating period
Weighing more heavily the events that have occurred recently
Documenting ongoing critical events

Answer 19

Documenting ongoing critical events

Question 20

What is the implicit assumption the rater makes when they make the “similarity error” in performance evaluations?

Employees who follow rules exactly are the best employees
Past behavior is similar to what they will do in the future
All employees are alike
That the rater is a “model” employee

Answer 20

That the rater is a “model” employee