Question 1

With ______ error the rater compares and contrasts performance between two employees,rather than using absolute measures of performance to assess each employee.
A) attribution
B) contrast
C) recency
D) similarity

Accepted Answer

The given description matches with contrast error, where the rater compares and contrasts the performance between two employees rather than using absolute measures of performance to assess each employee. Attribution error occurs when the rater focuses too much on the cause of the behavior and not on the behavior itself; recency error occurs when the rater evaluates an employee's most recent performance only, and similarity error occurs when the rater rates employees highly because they share similar characteristics or traits with the rater.

Question 2

______ errors occur when similar marks are be given to items that are near each other on the performance appraisal form.
A) Proximity
B) Recency
C) Similarity
D) Severity or strictness

Accepted Answer

Proximity errors occur when an evaluator's ratings are influenced by the physical placement of questions or items on an appraisal form, leading to similar marks for items that are near each other, regardless of the actual performance.

Question 3

When Myra was completing a performance appraisal on one of her employees,she rated the employee high on reliability and conscientiousness.The next item on the form was accuracy.Even though the employee was only average on accuracy,Myra gave her a high rating.It is likely Myra made an error due to ______.
A) bias
B) stereotyping
C) distribution
D) proximity

Accepted Answer

Myra likely made an error due to proximity, meaning she allowed her ratings on one trait (reliability and conscientiousness) to influence her rating on a subsequent, but unrelated, trait (accuracy). This is a common error in performance appraisals where the rater's judgment on one item affects their judgment on the next items.

Question 4

______ error occurs when the rater uses only the last few weeks of a rating period as evidence when putting together performance ratings.
A) Severity or strictness
B) Similarity
C) Proximity
D) Recency

Accepted Answer

Recency error occurs when the rater uses only the last few weeks of a rating period as evidence when putting together performance ratings. This can result in inaccurate ratings as it does not take into account the employee's performance over the entire rating period.

Question 5

______ training defines job performance dimensions in more concrete terms,provides samples of behaviors at each performance level,emphasizes the fact that job performance has many dimensions,and allows practice and feedback sessions.
A) Rater accuracy
B) Frame-of-reference
C) Criteria
D) Contrast

Accepted Answer

Frame-of-reference training provides a concrete understanding of job performance dimensions, offers examples of behaviors at different performance levels, emphasizes the multidimensional nature of job performance, and includes practice and feedback sessions to improve accuracy in evaluating employee performance. Rater accuracy training focuses on increasing the accuracy of the rater, criteria training involves identifying job performance criteria, and contrast training teaches raters to compare employees with each other.

Question 6

Trevor is well-liked by his manager and all his coworkers.He is fun to be around and makes people laugh.His work performance is average,but his manager gave him an excellent rating on his performance appraisal.It is likely his manager made an error due to ______.
A) bias
B) stereotyping
C) contrast
D) distribution

Accepted Answer

Trevor's high rating despite average performance and the fact that he is well-liked suggests that his manager may be biased in his favor, leading to an inaccurate rating.

Question 7

Brenda dislikes having to fill out performance appraisals on her employees.She vows to sit down and finish them all in one afternoon.She decides to start with her lowest performing employee to get the worst out of the way.Next,she appraises an average performer,but gives excellent ratings.After appraising that first employee,the average performer looks excellent to her.It is likely Brenda made a(n)______ error.
A) contrast
B) attribution
C) recency
D) proximity

Accepted Answer

Brenda's perception of the average performer's performance was influenced by the contrast effect of appraising a low performer first. This led to her rating the average performer higher than she might have otherwise, leading to a contrast error.

Question 8

Han believes that all his employees do a good job.When he gives performance appraisals,he rates everyone as "average" because he thinks that doing a good job is an average rating.In reality,several of Han's employees are excellent and several are below average.It appears Han is making a ______ error in his performance appraisals.
A) recency
B) contrast
C) attributional
D) distributional

Accepted Answer

Han is making a distributional error because he is not accurately representing the range of performance levels among his employees. By rating everyone as "average," he is not differentiating between employees who are truly average and those who are performing above or below average.

Question 9

Binyamin knew his performance appraisal was coming up in one month.He spent that month coming to work early and staying late.As a result,he got an excellent rating on his performance appraisal when his performance for the entire year had only been average.It is likely his manager made a ______ error.
A) bias
B) contrast
C) proximity
D) recency

Accepted Answer

The manager made a recency error by giving more weight to Binyamin's recent behavior (coming early and staying late for one month) rather than his overall performance for the entire year.

Question 10

The formal performance appraisal debriefing should be split into two sections,the ______ and ______ appraisal interviews.
A) evaluative; developmental
B) developmental; conductive
C) planning; goal-based
D) retrospective; evaluative

Accepted Answer

The evaluative appraisal interview focuses on assessing the employee's past performance while the developmental appraisal interview focuses on discussing future development goals and plans. Splitting the debriefing into these two sections allows for a more comprehensive discussion of both past performance and future growth opportunities. Options B, C, and D do not accurately describe the two types of appraisal interviews.

Question 11

The ______ process occurs when the manager communicates to an employee the analysis of the employee's performance.
A) debriefing
B) conducting
C) development
D) preparation

Accepted Answer

Debriefing is the specific term used to describe the process of communicating feedback and performance analysis to an employee. It is an opportunity for the manager to discuss areas of strength, areas for improvement, and to provide guidance for the employee's future development. Conducting, development, and preparation do not accurately describe this process.

Question 12

Marc's manager saw him come back late from lunch one day.Marc was late because he had been working out a problem with a client.However,Marc's manager assumed Marc just took a long lunch and is a slacker.It is likely his manager made a(n)______ error.
A) stereotyping
B) bias
C) attribution
D) proximity

Accepted Answer

Marc's manager made an attribution error by assuming that Marc's behavior (being late) was due to his personal characteristics (being a slacker) rather than considering external factors (working out a problem with a client) that could have caused the behavior.

Question 13

______ error occurs when the rater gives better evaluations to subordinates whom they consider to be like themselves.
A) Leniency
B) Severity or strictness
C) Similarity
D) Proximity

Accepted Answer

Similarity error occurs when the rater gives better evaluations to subordinates whom they consider to be like themselves, for example, if the rater and the subordinate share similar backgrounds, interests, or personality traits. This bias can affect the accuracy and fairness of performance evaluations.

Question 14

Brisa recently had a baby.When she returned from maternity leave,her manager assumed that she would want to work fewer hours and would be distracted by things at home.Although Brisa's performance remained as high as it had been before the baby,her boss gave her lower marks on her performance appraisal.It is likely her manager made an error due to ______.
A) similarity
B) stereotyping
C) proximity
D) contrast

Accepted Answer

Brisa's manager made assumptions about Brisa's abilities and expectations based on her identity as a new mother, which is an example of stereotyping. This biased thinking can lead to unfair treatment and evaluation of employees.

Question 15

______ is the process of observing ongoing employee actions using computers or other nonhuman methods.
A) 360-Degree evaluation
B) Critical incidents method
C) Electronic performance monitoring
D) Narrative method or form

Accepted Answer

Electronic performance monitoring is the process of observing employee actions using computers or other nonhuman methods. This method is used to monitor productivity and to ensure compliance with company policies. It involves tracking employee computer usage, phone calls, email correspondence, and other electronic activities.

Question 16

Remy is preparing to conduct a performance appraisal.She has scheduled the interview and asked the employee to conduct a self-assessment.She has assessed the employee's performance and identified both strengths and area for improvement.During the interview,she will ask the employee to talk and also listen to the critique of the employee's performance.Remy is preparing for a(n)______ performance appraisal interview.
A) debriefing
B) evaluative
C) behavioral
D) developmental

Accepted Answer

The answer of Remy is preparing to conduct a performance...

Question 17

On the first week of his new sales job,Bryan closed a huge sale.Although his work since has been average,he still receives excellent performance appraisal reviews.It is likely his manager is making a ______ error.
A) similarity
B) proximity
C) halo
D) distributional

Accepted Answer

The halo effect is a cognitive bias in which our overall impression of a person influences how we feel about their character or abilities. In this case, Bryan's manager may be giving him excellent performance ratings based on the halo effect created by his initial successful sale. This bias can lead to inaccurate evaluations and potentially hinder the development of other employees who may deserve recognition for their consistent work.

Question 18

Janay is preparing to conduct a performance appraisal.She has already provided evaluative feedback to the employee.Now she is preparing to discuss areas for improvement based on that evaluative feedback.Janay is preparing for a ______ performance appraisal interview.
A) debriefing
B) management by objectives
C) behavioral
D) developmental

Accepted Answer

Janay is preparing to discuss areas for improvement based on the evaluative feedback already provided. This indicates that the purpose of the appraisal interview is developmental, where the focus is on identifying areas for improvement and creating a plan for development.

Question 19

Duran went to the same college as his manager.The two often speak of the college's sports and traditions together.Although Duran is a below average performer,his manager gives him an average rating on his performance appraisals.It is likely his manager is making a(n)______ error.
A) contrast
B) attribution
C) similarity
D) recency

Accepted Answer

The manager is overlooking Duran's below-average performance and giving him an average rating on his appraisals possibly due to their shared college background and the similarity bias. This bias can cause managers to rate employees based on personal similarities or perceived familiarity rather than on objective performance measures.

Question 20

______ error occurs when the evaluator makes assumptions about the reasons or motivations for an observed behavior.
A) Recency
B) Contrast
C) Attribution
D) Similarity

Accepted Answer

Attribution error occurs when the evaluator tries to explain the behavior of an individual without concrete evidence or by making assumptions about their personality or motives. It is a common error that occurs in performance evaluations when the evaluator tries to guess why an employee performed a task in a particular way rather than gathering facts about their behavior.

Quiz 8: Performance Management and Appraisal

With ______ error the rater compares and contrasts performance between two employees,rather than using absolute measures of performance to assess each employee.

______ errors occur when similar marks are be given to items that are near each other on the performance appraisal form.

______ error occurs when the rater uses only the last few weeks of a rating period as evidence when putting together performance ratings.

______ training defines job performance dimensions in more concrete terms,provides samples of behaviors at each performance level,emphasizes the fact that job performance has many dimensions,and allows practice and feedback sessions.

Trevor is well-liked by his manager and all his coworkers.He is fun to be around and makes people laugh.His work performance is average,but his manager gave him an excellent rating on his performance appraisal.It is likely his manager made an error due to ______.

The formal performance appraisal debriefing should be split into two sections,the and appraisal interviews.

The ______ process occurs when the manager communicates to an employee the analysis of the employee's performance.

Marc's manager saw him come back late from lunch one day.Marc was late because he had been working out a problem with a client.However,Marc's manager assumed Marc just took a long lunch and is a slacker.It is likely his manager made a(n) ______ error.

______ error occurs when the rater gives better evaluations to subordinates whom they consider to be like themselves.

______ is the process of observing ongoing employee actions using computers or other nonhuman methods.

On the first week of his new sales job,Bryan closed a huge sale.Although his work since has been average,he still receives excellent performance appraisal reviews.It is likely his manager is making a ______ error.

Janay is preparing to conduct a performance appraisal.She has already provided evaluative feedback to the employee.Now she is preparing to discuss areas for improvement based on that evaluative feedback.Janay is preparing for a ______ performance appraisal interview.

Duran went to the same college as his manager.The two often speak of the college's sports and traditions together.Although Duran is a below average performer,his manager gives him an average rating on his performance appraisals.It is likely his manager is making a(n) ______ error.

______ error occurs when the evaluator makes assumptions about the reasons or motivations for an observed behavior.