TRAINING APPRAISEES TO PARTICIPATE IN APPRAISAL - EFFECTS ON APPRAISERS AND APPRAISEES

This study examined the role of behavior modeling training (BMT) in en hancing appraisee participation during a performance appraisal discuss ion. In addition, the study examined the effects of enhanced participa tion on appraisee and appraiser perceptions toward several appraisal o utcome variables; in particular, the fairness and accuracy of performa nce appraisal were of interest. The experimental design was a 2 x 3 co mpletely crossed factorial design consisting of two levels of training (behavior modeling vs. lecture/discussion) and three levels of bogus evaluation feedback (low, neutral, and high). A series of multivariate and univariate comparisons were used to test the hypothesized outcome s. The findings suggest that appraisers exposed to the BMT group perce ived appraisees as more proactive and better performers and, in additi on, reported liking the appraisees more, and perceiving the appraisal process as more fair. The study also found support for the ''egocentri c bias'' in perceived outcome fairness: appraisees in both training co nditions who received a high evaluation perceived the appraisal evalua tion as more fair than appraisees who received a low evaluation. In ad dition, the study found that favorable evaluations were also perceived as being, more accurate. The results of the study are discussed in te rms of procedural justice theory and related research examining the ro le of performance feedback on both the appraisee and the appraiser. Su ggestions for future research in the areas of behavior modeling, voice -giving (high-input). procedures, and procedural justice are discussed .