The development and evaluation of behaviorally based rating scales

Makes a distinction between criterion measures that assess individual performance in terms of concrete job functions and those that reflect organizational outcomes several steps removed from actual behavior (e.g., salary level). It is argued that psychologists should be trying to measure and predict the former, and a modification of the method of scaled expectations is suggested as 1 technique for doing so. The method was used to develop 9 criterion dimensions for department managers in a nationwide retail chain. The resulting behavior rating scales were compared with a summated ratings technique on a sample of 537 department managers. The behavioral scales yielded less method variance, less halo error, and less leniency error. Additional benefits from the method are noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).