Reducing the Effects of Performance Expectations on Behavioral Ratings

Analysis of rating accuracy and measures from both recognition memory and recall memory tests suggest that the structured recall memory intervention has distinct advantages and can reduce raters' reliance on heuristics and increase the correspondence between rater's memory and their subsequent ratings.

Abstract

In this study, we develop and test two strategies for reducing the effects of performance expectations on behavioral ratings. A 3 x 3 experimental design (N = 169), manipulating preobservation performance cues (positive, negative, or none) and the type of intervention (halo error training, structured recall memory, or none), was conducted. The results of this study indicate that both interventions reduced the effects of performance expectations on behavioral ratings. However, analyses of rating accuracy and measures from both recognition memory and recall memory tests suggest that the structured recall memory intervention has distinct advantages. These analyses indicate that the structured recall intervention can reduce raters' reliance on heuristics and increase the correspondence between raters' memory and their subsequent ratings. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.