Inequity in the Performance Evaluation Process: How You Rate Me Affects How I Rate You

The current study examined issues of leniency in the ratings provided by students for their instructors. Based on equity theory from the psychological literature, we proposed that individuals would consider the evaluations that they expect to receive in concurrent classes when evaluating the effectiveness of a given instructor. Our results suggest that individuals may form a mental comparison between how they expect to be graded in a given class with how they have been rated or expect to be rated in other classes. This comparison then leaves the individual either satisfied or dissatisfied, thus influencing the ratings that they provide for their superiors. Limitations of the current results are discussed, and recommendations for future research are advanced.