Rater training for performance appraisal: A quantitative review

A substantial amount of research in the performance appraisal literature has focused on rater training as a means of improving performance ratings. Unfortunately the value of this research is somewhat equivocated by a lack of organization and integration. The present study provides an integration and a quantitative review of the rater training literature. A general framework for the evaluation of rater training is presented in terms of four rating training strategies (rater error training, performance dimension training, frame‐of‐reference training, and behavioural observation training) and four dependent measures (halo, leniency, rating accuracy and observational accuracy). Finally, a meta‐analytic review is presented to assess the effectiveness of the rater training strategies across the four dependent measures.