ABSTRACT
Performance ratings are subjective judgments made about another person’s performance. They are the most frequently used measure of individuals’ performance in organizations. They are also the most frequently used criteria by industrial and organizational (I/O) psychologists in research studies. Although hundreds of studies over the past 50 years have investigated the properties of performance ratings, there is incomplete understanding of and numerous misconceptions about what performance ratings actually measure. In recent years, this issue has become more critical in view of the increased popularity of multisource feedback (MSF) systems. Relatively little is known about the properties of ratings from nontraditional sources such as subordinates, peers, and customers. The lack of understanding of what performance ratings actually measure has hindered both research and practice in I/O psychology.
