Cognitive Categorization and Quality of Performance Ratings

Abstract

The effects of cognitive categorization of raters on accuracy, leniency, and halo of performance evaluations were investigated in a field setting. One hundred seventy-four subordinates evaluated the performance of their managers on three performance dimensions. Managers were categorized as congruent or incongruent based on subordinates' perceptions of the extent to which the manager's behavior met the subordinate's expectations. The results indicated that the quality of ratings assigned by subordinates was related to the cognitive categories used. As hypothesized, ratings of managers who were categorized as congruent were found to be more accurate and also to contain more leniency and halo tendency than the ratings of managers who were categorized as incongruent. Implications of these findings for performance-appraisal research are discussed. © 1987 American Psychological Association.