A Meta-Analysis of Ratee Race Effects in Performance Ratings

Abstract

A recent review of ratee race effects on performance ratings (Landy & Farr, 1980) found conflicting results. For the present research, meta-analytic techniques were used for more substantive conclusions about the existence of ratee race effects and whether the effects were related to rater race or were moderated by situational factors. The five moderators examined included the study setting (laboratory/field), rater training (offered/not offered), type of rating (behavior/trait), rating purpose (administrative/research), and the composition of the workgroup (percentage of blacks in each study). Seventy-four studies with a total sample of 17,159 ratees were located for white raters, whereas 14 studies with 2,428 ratees included data on black raters. The corrected mean correlations between ratee race and ratings for white and black raters were .183 and -.220, respectively, with 95% confidence intervals that excluded zero for both rater groups. Substantial moderating effects were found for study setting and for the saliency of blacks in the sample. Race effects were more likely in field settings when blacks composed a small percentage of the workforce. The appropriate role of laboratory studies and the implications of the results for guiding future research on racial bias are discussed. © 1985 American Psychological Association.

Publication Title

Journal of Applied Psychology

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