Martell, Richard F.2009-06-032009-06-031992Swerdlin, Marnie Rose. "Motivated strategies in the performance appraisal process: Effects of rater accountability." (1992) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/13663">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/13663</a>.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/13663Recent performance appraisal research has focused on rater cognitive processes. Instead, this research examined the effects of a motivational variable, accountability, on rater cognitive processes and on performance ratings. In the first experiment, accountability attenuated a primacy effect in evaluative ratings, and, when negative information was presented first, increased the time spent looking at performance information. However, there was no evidence that looking time mediated the effect of accountability on evaluative ratings. In the second experiment, accountable subjects had a more conservative response bias in behavioral ratings relative to unaccountable subjects if evaluative ratings were made prior to behavioral ratings. Accountable subjects who made behavioral ratings first showed no response bias in behavioral ratings although they had less confidence in their ratings relative to other subjects. This research demonstrates that accountability can influence rater cognitive processes and thus performance ratings but that its effects are situational.115 p.application/pdfengCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.Industrial psychologySocial psychologyThesisThesis Psych. 1992 Swerdlin