ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses implicit personality theory and its implications for performance rating. One implication is that the correlations between performance dimensions, especially interpersonal aspects, are probably inflated and conform to the evaluator's theory of behavior. The chapter suggests one method of coping with such rater distortion through an adaptation of behaviorally anchored rating scales in which behavioral examples of dimensions are recorded by raters. It describes the relationship of the trait–situation controversy to work performance and outlines Epstein's argument for behavior stability across time and situation. The chapter reviews research suggesting that there may be more consistency in work behavior than in behavior in general, probably because a smaller variety of situations is encountered in the work setting than in daily experiences, and relatively stable abilities underlie performance in most jobs. It also introduces personal-construct theory and suggests applications of construct systems to perceptions of work behavior.
