Authors: David A. Kravitz and William K. Balzer
Title: Context effects in performance appraisal: A methodological critique and empirical study.
Source: Journal of Applied Psychology, 77, 24-31. 1992.
Abstract:
The standard design used in research on assimilation and contrast effects in
performance appraisal suffers from methodological flaws that preclude unambiguous
interpretation of experimental results. This standard design is compared with
two other designs that provide more appropriate tests of context effects (cf.
Kravitz & Balzer, 1990). Undergraduates (N = 123) rated a videotaped lecture
of average quality after rating (a) two videotapes depicting good lectures,
(b) two videotapes depicting poor lectures, or (c) no other videotapes. Half
the subjects had rated the target videotape 1 week earlier. Analyses of the
standard design implied contrast effects. Analyses of the alternative designs
revealed problems with the positive context manipulation, assimilation effects
in the positive context, contrast effects in the negative context, and pretest
effects. It is recommended that the standard design not be used.
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