Janet is perceived by her dining room manager, Sarah, as the best waitress who ever worked for her. Naturally, Janet's ratings on her performance appraisal are all high. Tom, on the other hand, is an average waiter; yet, after evaluating Janet, Sarah's ratings of Tom are below average. This type of rating error is referred to as:
A) contrast error
B) halo error
C) proximity error
D) preference error

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of a contrast error, where the evaluation of one employee is unfairly compared to that of another, leading to a skewed assessment. Sarah's high rating of Janet influences her perception of Tom, causing her to rate him lower than she might have if she evaluated him independently.

Janet Is Perceived by Her Dining Room Manager, Sarah, as the Best