Multifaceted conceptions of self-other ratings disagreement

Self-other ratings disagreement (S-ORD) is the extent to which one's self-rating of performance differs from ratings made by other people (e.g., supervisors). As increasing number of organizations adopt self-assessment as a tool for managing performance, S-ORD is becoming a central concern in performance appraisal research. Most past research, however, only examines S-ORD in terms of the levels of ratings, and ignores other forms of disagreement. This paper identifies 7 different forms of S-ORD that are detectable through the use of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The causes for each form of S-ORD are discussed, as well as its conceptual and practical implications. The procedure is illustrated by comparing 332 managers' self-evaluations with their supervisors' evaluations. An extension of the CFA model to a full structural equation model is used to illustrate and discuss the fragmentary nature of existing approaches to S-ORD. It is shown that valid inferences concerning S-ORD cannot be made unless various forms of S-ORD, and not merely the differences in overall ratings, are detected and dealt with.