Abstract
The impact of using two different consensus procedures in an assessment center was investigated using a field experiment. Two groups of assessors observed participants in the same exercises. The experimental group used a consensus procedure that did not allow evaluative discussions of behaviors or attribution of scores to assessors. The control group allowed both activities. The results showed significant and important differences between the two groups of assessors in both scores and rankings of participants. Scores from the experimental group showed no significant difference form independent ratings by supervisors on the same performance dimensions. This contrasted with the strongly significant difference shown by the control group. The results support previous findings that there is a need to standardize the consensus procedures. The process described for the experimental group is suggested as a model.
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