The effects of rating scale formats on several indices of the usefulness of performance appraisal for employee development were examined. The job performance of 96 police officers was rated using simple graphic scales or one of two behaviorally oriented rating formats: behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) and behavior observation scales (BOS). As predicted, ratees’ satisfaction with performance appraisal was highest and their perceptions of performance goals most favorable when using BOS. In addition, performance improvement goals for officers rated using BOS were judged by experts to be most observable and specific. Contrary to the authors’ predictions, graphic rating scales were generally as good as BOS and as good as or better than BARS when evaluated in terms of ratee attitudes and goal characteristics. The results suggest that different behaviorally-oriented rating formats can enhance or inhibit the developmental applications of performance appraisal.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bernardin, H. J.
, & Beatty, R. W. (1984). Performance appraisal: Assessing human behavior at work. Boston: Kent.
2.
Borman, W. C.
(1982). Validity of behavioral assessment for predicting military recruiter performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 67, 3-9.
3.
Campbell, J. P.
, Dunnette, M. D., Arvey, R. D., & Hellervik, L. V. (1973). The development and evaluation of behaviorally based rating scales. Journal of Applied Psychology, 57, 15-22.
4.
Carroll, S. J.
, & Schneier, C. E. (1982). Performance appraisal and review systems. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.
5.
Cohen, J.
(1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
6.
Cummings, L. L.
, Schwab, D. P., & Rosen, M. (1971). Performance and knowledge of results as determinants of goal setting. Journal of Applied Psychology, 55, 526-530.
7.
DeCotiis, T.
(1977). An analysis of the external validity and applied relevance of three rating formats. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 19, 247-266.
8.
Dolan, S. L.
& Schuler, R. S. (1987). Personnel and human resources systems in Canada. St. Paul, MN: West.
9.
Dorfman, P. W.
, Stephan, W. G., & Loveland, J. (1986). Performance appraisal behaviors: Supervisors perceptions and subordinates reactions. Personnel Psychology, 39, 579-597.
10.
Early, P. C.
, & Kanfer, R. (1985). The influence of component participation and role models on goal satisfaction and performance. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 36, 378-390.
11.
Fay, C. H.
, & Latham, G. P. (1982). Effects of training and rating scales on rating errors. Personnel Psychology, 35, 105-116.
12.
Feldman, J. M.
(1981). Beyond attribution theory: Cognitive processes in performance appraisal. Journal of Applied Psychology, 66, 127-148.
13.
Gosselin, A., & Murphy, K. R. (1994, September). L’echec de l’evaluation de la performance [The failure of performance appraisal]. Gestion, 17-26.
14.
Greenberg, J.
, & Folger, R. (1983). Procedural justice, participation, and fair process effects in groups and organizations. In P. Paulus (Ed.), Basic group processes. New York: Springer.
15.
Huber, V. L.
(1985). Effects of task difficulty, goal setting, and strategy on performance of a heuristic task. Journal of Applied Psychology, 70, 492-504.
16.
Kingstrom, P. O.
, & Bass, A. R. (1981). A critical analysis of studies comparing behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) and other rating formats. Personnel Psychology, 34, 263-289.
17.
Kopelman, R. E.
(1986). Managing productivity in organizations. New York: McGraw-Hill.
18.
Landy, F. J.
, & Farr, J. L. (1980). Performance rating. Psychological Bulletin, 87, 72-107.
19.
Latham, G. P.
, Fay, C. H., & Saari, L. M. (1979). The development of behavioral observation scales for appraising the performance of foremen. Personnel Psychology, 32, 299-311.
20.
Latham, G. P.
, & Wexley, K. N. (1977). Behavioral observation scales for performance appraisal purposes. Personnel Psychology, 30, 255-268.
21.
Latham, G. P.
, & Wexley, K. N. (1981). Increasing productivity through performance appraisal. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
22.
McGregor, D.
(1957). An uneasy look at performance appraisal. Harvard Business Review, 35, 89-94.
23.
Murphy, K.
, & Balzer, W. (1986). Systematic distortions in memory-based behavior ratings and performance evaluations: Consequences for rating accuracy. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71, 39-44.
24.
Murphy, K. R.
, & Cleveland, J. N. (1995). Understanding performance appraisal: Social, organizational, and goal-oriented perspectives. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
25.
Murphy, K.
, & Constans, J. (1987). Behavioral anchors as a source of bias in rating. Journal of Applied Psychology, 72, 573-579.
26.
Murphy, K.
, & Pardaffy, V. (1989). Bias in behaviorally anchored ratings scales: Global or scale-specific?Journal of Applied Psychology, 74, 343-346.
27.
Petit, A., & Haines, V. (1994, September). Trois instruments d’evaluation du rendement [Three performance appraisal intruments]. Gestion, 59-68.
28.
Pinder, T. H.
(1984, September). How to interview: The appraisal interview. Occupational Therapy, 293-294.
29.
Schwab, D. P.
, Heneman, H. G., & DeCotiis, T. A. (1975). Behaviorally anchored rating scales: A review of the literature. Personnel Psychology, 28, 549-562.
30.
Shavelson, R. J.
, & Webb, N. M. (1991). Generalizability theory: A primer. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
31.
Smith, P. C.
, & Kendall, L. M. (1963). Retranslation of expectations: An approach to the construction of unambiguous anchors for rating scales. Journal of Applied Psychology, 47149-255.
32.
Steiner, D. D.
, Rain, J. S., & Smalley, M. M. (1993). Distributional ratings of performance: Further examination of a new rating format. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78, 438-442.
33.
Tziner, A.
(1990). Organizational staffing and work adjustment. New York: Preager.
34.
Wexley, K. N.
(1979). Roles of performance appraisal in organizations. In S. Kerr (Ed.), Organizational behavior (pp. 241-259). Columbus, OH: Grid.
35.
Wiersma, U.
, & Latham, G. P. (1996). The practicality of behavioral observation scales and trait scales. Personnel Psychology, 39, 619-628.
