Rater‐ratee Race Effects in Developmental Performance Ratings of Managers

Abstract

The effects of rater and ratee race on performance ratings of managers were examined. Ratings were obtained from peers, subordinates and bosses as part of a multirater, developmental feedback program for managers. Two data sets were created for purposes of this study. The between‐subjects data set consisted of ratings from over 20,000 bosses, over 50,000 peers, and over 40,000 subordinates. The repeated measures data set was substantially smaller because it included only those Black and White managers who were rated by both a Black and White rater from each of the three perspectives. Results for rater race indicated that Black raters from all perspectives (peers, subordinates, and bosses) assigned more favorable ratings to ratees of their own race. Results for White raters differed according to the particular rating source. White bosses assigned more favorable ratings to ratees of their own race, but White subordinates did not. White peers assigned more favorable ratings to Whites in the repeated measures analysis, but not in the between‐subjects analysis. Results for ratee race indicated that both White and Black managers received higher ratings from Black raters than from White raters, and the effect was more pronounced for ratings assigned to Black managers.

13 When Group Identities Matter

“…In general, subsequent examinations of race have also reported rater-ratee similarity effects, with the bulk of studies examining Black and White groups (Biernat et al, 1998;Elvira & Town, 2001;Kraiger & Ford, 1985;Mount et al, 1997;Stauffer & Buckley, 2005). Tsui and O'Reilly (1989) found no evidence for race (Black-White) dissimilarity effects on performance ratings, but Tsui et al (2002) reported that race dissimilarity affected ratings of extrarole performance.…”

“…Several studies suggest a greater negative effect of racial dissimilarity on ratings made by White evaluators. In Mount et al (1997), both Black and White superiors assigned more favorable ratings to same race ratees, with the greatest difference between raters for Black ratees. Stauffer and Buckley (2005) found that higher ratings were given to White ratees by both White and Black supervisors.…”

“…This model proposes that demographic dissimilarity of a ratee from his or her rater or work group will result in less favorable performance evaluations. Researchers have used the demography framework to explain appraisal bias for gender (Tsui & O'Reilly, 1989), race (Mount, Sytsma, Hazucha, & Holt, 1997), age (Tsui, Porter, & Egan, 2002), and disability (Colella et al, 1997).…”

A critical review of race and ethnicity in the leadership literature: Surfacing context, power and the collective dimensions of leadership

“…Dubey (1970) found that African Americans are generally "indifferent to the race" of those holding leadership roles in business or religious organizations. A large study of black and white managers, subordinates and peers found that black subordinates rated black bosses more highly than they rated white bosses; however the same effect was not true for whites: white subordinates did not differ in their ratings of white and black bosses (Mount, Sytsma, Hazucha, & Holt, 1997). Recent lab studies also suggest that same-group membership is not as predictive as one might think.…”

Racial Bias in Decisions Made by Mock Jurors Evaluating a Case of Sexual Harassment

“…who also simulated a rape case, reported that guilty verdicts were significantly more likely when the victim was of the same race as the juror than when the two were of different races. Preferential treatment for members of one's own race was also demonstrated when the dependent variable was the performance rating of an employee (Kraiger & Ford, 1985;Mount, Sytsma, Hazucha, & Holt, 1997).…”