Further Evidence on the Negativity Bias in Performance Evaluation: When Does the Evaluator's Perspective Matter?

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven E. Kaplan ◽  
Michael J. Petersen ◽  
Janet A. Samuels

ABSTRACT In a setting involving a firm using multiple performance measures, we experimentally examine the effect of an evaluator's perspective on the relative performance evaluations of two managers. The performance outcomes of the two managers are linearly equivalent, but one manager's performance includes an equivalent number of above target and below target outcomes (e.g., the mixed manager), while the other manager's performance only includes above target outcomes (e.g., the positive manager). In this setting, we provide new evidence on the negativity bias and whether the bias is moderated based on evaluators' role and the importance of the measures with negative outcomes. Participants are assigned to the role of the supervisor, the mixed manager, or the positive manager and asked to evaluate each manager's performance. We predict and find that participants in all three roles exhibit the negativity bias. In addition, we predict that the strength of the negativity bias exhibited by mixed or positive managers relative to the supervisor's negativity bias depends on whether the measures with negative outcomes are more or less important. As expected, we find that when negative outcomes involve less important measures, the relative performance evaluations of mixed (positive) managers are similar to (differ from) those of supervisors. In contrast, when negative outcomes involve more important measures, the relative performance evaluations of positive (mixed) managers are similar to (differ from) supervisors. Understanding whether and when managers' relative performance evaluations differ from their supervisors is important, in part, because conflicts and potentially dysfunctional behavior are likely to arise when their relative performance evaluations differ.

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Kramer ◽  
Victor S. Maas

ABSTRACT We use an experiment to examine escalation bias in subjective performance evaluations. Participants assume the role of manager and evaluate the performance of an employee based on a balanced-scorecard-type performance report. We manipulate whether managers recommended positively or negatively about the evaluated employee's promotion to his current position. Consistent with the presence of escalation bias, we find that managers give higher performance ratings to employees about whom they advised positively than to employees about whom they advised negatively. Using eye-tracking data, we investigate whether escalation bias arises because managers with different prior commitments toward the evaluated employee pay attention to different items in the scorecard. We find that evaluators' prior recommendation does not affect what proportion of their visual attention is given to favorable (versus unfavorable) performance measures, and that the relative attention paid to favorable measures is not associated with the performance rating.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 79-118
Author(s):  
Marzena Stor ◽  
József Poór ◽  
Allen D. Engle

AbstractObjective – The main goal of the paper is to determine whether there are any identifiable patterns of HRM perceptions and practices when the factors recognized as the companies’ competitive advantages and results of their performance outcomes are juxtaposed in conjunction with their implications for HRM.Methodology – The research was conducted in five Central European (CE) countries. The data collected from this region is used to assess the comparative context (descriptive statistics) for more detail correlational analyses conducted on the data coming exclusively from local subsidiaries of multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in Poland. This Polish data analysis is presented in a second article published in this volume.Findings - The average values of performance evaluations gain slightly better scores in Poland than in CE. The HQ of MNCs exert less influence on HRM practices at the local level in Poland than an average of the overall CE region.Value added – The research has theoretical significance because its results provide new evidence about the specificity of HRM in local subsidiaries of MNCs operating in the CE region. Furthermore, it identifies some patterns of HRM perceptions and practices at the local level of MNCs both in CE and Poland, and especially when the factors recognized as competitive advantages of local subsidiaries. The results of performance evaluations of these subsidiaries are juxtaposed in conjunction with their implications for HRM. All this makes a real and specific contribution to knowledge about strategic international HRM in MNCs.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002224372199110
Author(s):  
Joy Lu ◽  
Eric T. Bradlow ◽  
J. Wesley Hutchinson

Online educational platforms increasingly allow learners to consume content at their own pace with on-demand formats, in contrast to the synchronous content of traditional education. Thus, it is important to understand and model learner engagement within these environments. Using data from four business courses hosted on Coursera, we model learner behavior as a two-stage decision process, with the first stage determining across-day continuation versus quitting and the second stage determining within-day choices among lectures, quizzes, and breaks. By modeling the heterogeneity across learners pursuing lecture and quiz completion goals, we capture different patterns of consumption that correspond to extant theories of goal progress within an empirical field setting. We find that most individuals exhibit a learning style where lecture utility changes as an inverted-U-shaped function of current progress. Our model may also be used as an early detection system to anticipate changes in engagement and allows us to relate learning styles to final performance outcomes and enrollment in additional courses. Finally, we examine the role of quizzes in how consumption patterns vary across learners in different courses and between those who have paid or not paid for the option to earn a course certificate.


2016 ◽  
Vol 154 (4) ◽  
pp. 1051-1079 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadok El Ghoul ◽  
Omrane Guedhami ◽  
Robert Nash ◽  
Ajay Patel

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 193-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Porter ◽  
Peter Gallagher

Background:New evidence is emerging regarding abnormalities of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in subtypes of affective disorders. Adverse effects of HPA axis dysregulation may include dysfunction of monoaminergic transmitter systems, cognitive impairment and peripheral effects. Newer treatments specifically targeting the HPA axis are being developed.Objective:To review these developments focusing particularly on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist mifepristone.Method:A selective review of the literature.Results:The function of GRs is increasingly being defined. The role of corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in the brain is also increasingly understood. HPA axis function is particularly likely to be abnormal in psychotic depression and bipolar disorder, and it is in these conditions that trials of the GR antagonist mifepristone are being focused. CRH antagonists and DHEA are also being investigated as potential treatments.Conclusion:Initial studies of mifepristone and other HPA-axis-targeting agents in psychotic depression and bipolar disorder are encouraging and confirmatory studies are awaited.


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