Effects of coworker information on perceptions and ratings of performance

✍ Scribed by Todd J. Thorsteinson; William K. Balzer

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 143 KB
• Volume: 20
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0894-3796
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1379(199912)20:7<1157::aid-job947>3.0.co;2-j

✦ Synopsis

This study examined the eects of performance information from the ratee's coworker both on rater's perceptions of the information and ratings of the ratee's performance. As part of a managerial role-play exercise, subjects were required to rate an employee's performance. Audiotaped interactions of the ratee and customers were manipulated to re¯ect either good or poor performance. In addition, the ratee's coworker provided performance information which varied on (a) who was the initiator of the report and (b) the favorability of the information. Results revealed that while performance information from the ratee's coworker did not signi®cantly aect ratings of performance when it was consistent with the rater's direct observations, ratings were aected when the information from a coworker was inconsistent with the rater's direct observations even though the information from a coworker was perceived as less accurate and of less use.