Development and test of the two-stage model of performance appraisal

A two-stage model of performance appraisal is presented which argues that most performance judgments are made at the time performance is observed and therefore manipulations which affect only the rating stage will have little effect on performance judgment. Data indicate that a more useful model of performance appraisal views overt rating as a reconstruction of stored on-line performance judgments influenced by the rater's prior rating experiences reflected in their categorization operations.