Frank E. Saal

Rating the ratings: Assessing the psychometric quality of rating data.

Reviews research that is concerned with evaluating the psychometric qualities of data in the form of ratings (rating errors) and that has been plagued with conceptual and operational confusion and inconsistency. Following a brief historical survey, inconsistencies in definitions, quantifications, and methodologies are documented in a review of more than 20 relevant articles published in Journal of Applied Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, and Personnel Psychology (1975-1977). Empirical implications of these inconsistencies are discussed, and a revised typology of rating criteria, combined with a multivariate analytic approach, is suggested. (65 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

Friendly or sexy? It may depend on whom you ask

A set of three studies replicated and extended Abbeys (1982) research, indicating that men perceive less friendliness, but more sexuality than women when observing womens social interactions. Study 1 was based on 49 previously unacquainted male-female pairs who engaged in brief face-to-face discussions, and 48 males and 61 females who observed one of those discussions. Study 2 was based on videotaped exchanges between a male store manager and a female cashier, and Study 3 between a male professor and a female student; 75 males and 88 females participated in Study 2, while 98 males and 102 females participated in Study 3. In all three studies, the men saw less friendliness, but more “sexiness” in the womans behavior than the women. These results support the idea that some of the less severe forms of sexual harassment in business and academic settings may be better understood eventually through research and theory development that considers these sex differences in social perceptions.

PERSISTENCE OF MEN'S MISPERCEPTIONS OF FRIENDLY CUES ACROSS A VARIETY OF INTERPERSONAL ENCOUNTERS

This study examined whether gender differences in sexually based perceptions of social interactions persist when traditional male-female power roles are reversed, when the interaction becomes progressively more sexually harassing, and when the response to the harassment is accepting or rejecting. A laboratory experiment was conducted in which 187 female and 165 male undergraduate students viewed a 5-minute videotape. Twelve versions of a scenario depicting a professor interacting with a cross-sex student were created which manipulated the sex of the powerholder, level of harassment, and response to harassment. Results indicated that men perceived the female target as behaving in a “sexier” manner regardless of her status, the level of harassment, or the victims response. Womens sexually based perceptions of the most harassing male professor were greater than mens, however. Incorporating these gender differences in perceptions into a much-needed comprehensive model of sexual harassment (Zedeck & Cascio, 1984) appears to be warranted.

Effects of gender differences and selection agent expertise on leader influence and performance evaluations

Abstract The effects of selection agent expertise and various gender factors upon the influence and perceived expertise of male and female leaders, and upon group cohesiveness, were examined. Leaders (male or female) were selected by an agent (male or female, expert or nonexpert) to lead groups working on either a masculine or a feminine task. While the influence of the leaders was unaffected by the manipulations, ratings of expertise and group cohesiveness were affected. Leaders selected by experts were given higher expertise ratings than were those selected by nonexperts, as were leaders working on masculine as opposed to feminine tasks. Also, in the feminine task condition, perceived expertise was higher for female leaders and for leaders chosen by female agents. Cohesiveness ratings were highest for groups with leaders chosen by experts, except for groups with male leaders and masculine tasks, where cohesiveness ratings were higher when the agent was a nonexpert. The implications of these results for the effects of selection agent and task characteristics in leader selection, and issues of criterion selection in leadership research, are discussed.