Deck 5: Performance Appraisal

Question 1

Sheila supervises a group of nurses who work in an emergency department. In the past, she has only received job feedback from her direct supervisor. As part of a new development initiative, her department now requires that Sheila receive performance feedback from her direct supervisor, her subordinates, and other coworkers in her department. This type of performance feedback is best described as:

A) 360-degree
B) complete
C) comprehensive
D) holistic

Answer 1

A

Question 2

When delivering performance feedback, Erik's supervisor complimented him on how well he handled challenging incidents with customers. But his supervisor then suggested that Erik's attention to detail needed improvement, as evidenced by multiple instances in which Erik entered a wrong product number. Finally, the supervisor told Erik that his customer satisfaction scores were high and that he should keep up the good work. What does this suggest about his supervisor?

A) the supervisor likes his employee
B) the supervisor uses the sandwich technique
C) the supervisor develops action plans
D) the supervisor uses a halo approach

Answer 2

B

Question 3

At a construction company, managers are required to place 10% of their employees into the high performance category, 60% into the medium performance category, and 30% in the low performance category. This is an example of a(n) _____ system.

A) absolute appraisal
B) relative appraisal
C) objective measure
D) trait appraisal

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Regular _____ can provide opportunities for managers and employees to discuss their performance and set goals. Select the best response.

A) one-on-one meetings
B) training
C) diary keeping
D) accountability

Question 5

For the first 11 months of the fiscal year, Pablo exceeded his manager's expectations by meeting or exceeding all of his goals. In the last month of the fiscal year, however, Pablo failed to meet several of his goals. During the performance appraisal meeting, Pablo's manager focuses primarily on the last month of Pablo's performance. In terms of the manager's ratings, what does this situation most likely reflect?

A) halo effect
B) contrast error
C) strictness error
D) recency error

Question 6

Nancy excels at her skills as a team member, although she is an average employee in other ways. Yet Nancy's manager rates her highly across all performance dimensions during her performance appraisal. What does this scenario most likely reflect?

A) halo effect
B) contrast error
C) leniency error
D) recency error

Question 7

Performance appraisals are conducted for all of the following purposes EXCEPT:

A) developmental
B) administrative
C) accounting
D) legal

Question 8

All of the following are characteristics of an effective performance appraisal system EXCEPT:

A) accurate
B) infrequent
C) practical
D) strategic fit with organization's objectives

Question 9

As Lindy's boss has observed that Lindy has exerted a great deal of effort and persistence in trying to achieve her goals. However, due to factors beyond Lindy's control, Lindy was unable to complete the majority of her work-related goals. Knowing this background information, her boss decides to give Lindy a higher performance appraisal rating than she technically deserves because Lindy is trying so hard. This scenario represents the _________ of performance appraisal.

A) automaticity
B) objectivity
C) cognitive process
D) social-relational process

Question 10

A large company uses performance appraisals to make employment-related decisions (e.g., raises, layoffs) based on employees' past performance. This company is conducting performance appraisals for _____.

A) administrative reasons
B) research purposes
C) developmental reasons
D) personal reasons

Question 11

At Lisa's company, managers complete performance appraisals twice annually for every employee. The performance appraisal form instructs managers to rate employees' characteristics such as their honesty, perseverance, and friendliness. What type of appraisal is Lisa's company most likely using?

A) trait
B) results
C) outcome
D) behavior

Question 12

When Terren conducts a performance appraisal, she writes a narrative description (including specific examples) of the focal employee's performance over the last review period. This rating approach can best be classified as a(n) ________.

A) appraisal
B) behavior anchored appraisal
C) forced distribution appraisal
D) behavior observation appraisal

Question 13

Mark has been tasked with evaluating a new training program at his organization. As part of the evaluation process, he uses employees' performance appraisal data to assess whether their performance changed in response to the training program. Mark is using performance appraisals for _____.

A) administrative reasons
B) research purposes
C) developmental reasons
D) personal reasons

Question 14

A company evaluates customer service representatives' performance, in part, based on the frequency with which such employees are observed greeting customers in a friendly and professional manner. What type of appraisal does this represent?

A) trait
B) behavior
C) results
D) outcome

Question 15

The director of a large company notices that one unit manager gave all of her employees very high ratings. What rater error does this most likely reflect?

A) strictness
B) central tendency
C) contrast
D) leniency

Question 16

Mario's performance evaluations are based on how many computers he assembles and how much waste he produces during the assembly process. What type of appraisal does this represent?

A) trait
B) behavior
C) results
D) outcome

Question 17

A manager rates one employee's performance as lower than it actually is because the employee works with very high performers. What type of rater error does this represent?

A) strictness
B) central tendency
C) contrast
D) leniency

Question 18

If the performance appraisal form is too long, complicated, and difficult to understand, raters will not be motivated to be accurate in their ratings. This is mainly an issue around performance appraisal

A) Strictness
B) Practicality
C) User Fairness
D) Legality

Question 19

At Jaime's company, he is encouraged to rate his subordinates according to pre-established criteria and standards, and not to focus comparing the subordinates to each other. The company is encouraging Jaime to carry out _____ appraisals.

A) Absolute
B) Relative
C) Outcome
D) BARS

Question 20

Karen is a supervisor who rates her subordinates. She is asked to use a rating scale that lists a series of behaviors, and Karen rates how often or frequently each employee carries out that behavior. This rating scale is best described as a

A) Relative scale
B) Graphic rating scale
C) Behaviorally-anchored rating scale
D) Behavioral observation scale

Question 21

Donna is a supervisor who rates her subordinates. She is asked to use a rating scale that lists a number of dimensions (such as "job knowledge") on a scale of 1 to 5. The rating scale gives examples of behaviors at different points of the scale so Donna knows what is considered good or poor behavior. This rating scale is best described as a

A) Relative scale
B) Graphic rating scale
C) Behaviorally anchored rating scale
D) Behavioral observation scale

Question 22

One of the advantages of a straight ranking scale of employees is

A) Employees prefer this method
B) Supervisors support this method
C) It makes it easier to compare the ratings of employees across different supervisors
D) It is good for some decision-making purposes because it forces supervisors to identify top employees

Question 23

Which of the following is true about self-appraisal, where ratings are done by the employee about themselves?

A) They allow the employee to have some input into the rating process.
B) They ensure that the employee thinks about their past performance.
C) They help supervisors remember the employee's accomplishments during the rating period.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 24

Jill is a new supervisor. As part of her training, she is shown videos of employee performance, asked to rate the employee, and given feedback about her ratings. This is referred to as

A) Frame-of-reference training
B) Rater error training
C) Developmental feedback training
D) Observation scale training

Question 25

Ken is a new supervisor who has been asked to rate his employees. He goes to a meeting with other supervisors to discuss his ratings and compare his ratings to those of other supervisors. This is called a

A) Frame-of-reference meeting
B) Rater error meeting
C) Calibration meeting
D) Behavioral observation meeting

Question 26

To the extent that performance appraisals are used to make employment systems like who gets promoted, they are governed by

A) the Uniform Guidelines
B) OSHA laws
C) The O*NET
D) the Fair Labor Standards Act

Question 27

Typical appraisals are based on a "deficit model" where weaknesses are identified and improved. This runs counter to assumptions of

A) Occupational Health Psychology
B) Occupational Safety
C) Positive Psychology
D) Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Question 28

Some experts say that performance ratings should be abandoned completely because

A) The performance ratings lack reliability
B) Ratings are often based on political reasons
C) Both A and B
D) None of the above; few experts say we should stop using performance ratings.

Question 29

Performance management represents one component of a performance appraisal system.

Question 30

A legally defensible performance appraisal should be based on a manager's expert opinion and general impressions of an employee's performance.

Question 31

A manager who views an employee as similar to him/herself often develops a higher quality relationship with the employee.

Question 32

A behavioral observation rating scale is an example of a relative appraisal rating scale.

Question 33

Some experts say that companies should stop doing performance ratings because they are unreliable.

Question 34

To the extent that performance appraisals are based on a "deficit model", they are consistent with positive psychology.

Question 35

Ranking performance appraisal scales are good for giving employees feedback about how they can improve.

Question 36

How managers and employees feel about a performance appraisal system is referred to as _____

Question 37

A performance appraisal scale where the rater is given detailed examples of behaviors on each point of the scale is referred to as a(n) _____

Question 38

Appraisals conducted to validate a selection battery or for validating and assessing the effectiveness of a training program are used for _____ purposes.

Question 39

Appraisals which focus on measuring employee characteristics such as reliability, honesty, punctuality, or friendliness use a(n) _____ rating scale.

Question 40

Appraisals which focus on quantitative metrics such as sales figures, number of units produced, or number of mistakes use a(n) _____ rating scale.

Question 41

____ is a relative appraisal format where there are restrictions on what percentage of employees can be placed in the top, middle, and bottom categories.

Question 42

A performance appraisal system where data are collected from multiple raters at all levels, including managers, peers, subordinates, and customers is called _____.

Question 43

_____ error is a type of distribution error in which the rater gives all ratees a very high rating without distinguishing among them.

Question 44

One-on-one training and development of a person to achieve their professional goals is called ____.

Question 45

In a performance appraisal system, there are many different potential sources of ratings (i.e., different people). Pick two sources and describe a potential limitation with each.

Question 46

What are two things that a manager can do to help ensure that employees will perceive the performance appraisal process as fair?

Question 47

What is the distinction between Performance Management and Performance Appraisal? Which term is gaining more acceptance in I/O psychology today? Why?

Question 48

Describe one reason why employees may not view their company's performance appraisal system as useful.

Question 49

Performance appraisal can be thought of as both a cognitive process and a social-relational process. To what do these two processes refer?

Question 50

According to the textbook, what are the four main purposes of performance appraisal from the perspective of the organization? Provide an example of each purpose.

Question 51

What is the primary difference between a trait appraisal and a behavior appraisal? Name one potential drawback for both types of appraisals.

Question 52

In terms of the different types of performance appraisals, what is an outcome appraisal? What is an advantage of this type? What is a disadvantage?

Question 53

What is an absolute appraisal rating scale? What is a relative appraisal rating scale? State one strength and one limitation for each type of appraisal rating scale.

Question 54

What are electronic performance monitoring systems? What are their advantages and disadvantages?

Question 55

What are the different types of performance appraisal training?

Question 56

What is meant by feedback context?

Question 57

What are some of the legal issues associated with performance appraisal?

Question 58

What are some characteristics of effective performance appraisal systems?

Question 59

What are some ways to minimize performance appraisal errors?