The Effect of Similarity on Performance Ratings and Interrater Agreement

In: Human relations: towards the integration of the social sciences, Volume 42, Issue 1, p. 81-96

Abstract

Although training and use of multiple raters have been suggested to minimize demographic and individual biases on performance evaluations (Latham & Wexley, 1981), use of multiple raters often results in low interrater reliability which compounds the difficulty of establishing performance rating validity. The present study investigated the performance ratings made by the peers and supervisors of correction's officers, i.e., prison guards. Attention wasfocused on two issues: (1) the effects of rater and ratee personal, attitudinal, and relationship variables on performance ratings, and (2) examining performance "perspective differences" as an explanation of rating agreement. Results indicated that supervisor-subordinate educational similarity was significantly related to subordinate's performance rating. Supervisor-subordinate agreement on job dimension importance and subordinate age similarity with peer raters were also marginally related to performance ratings. The findings are discussed from the perspectives of shared cognitive schemas ofjob behaviors and practical implications.