Which concept describes rating employees in the middle of the rating scale when more extreme ratings are warranted?

• A. Central tendency
• B. Halo effect
• C. Recency error
• D. Leniency error

Answer: (A)

Central tendency bias in performance assessments describes rating someone toward the middle of the scale even when their performance clearly warrants more extreme judgments. This happens when a evaluator sticks to average ratings to avoid making waves or because of uncertainty, instead of distinguishing true performance levels. The scenario matches this: a middle rating given despite evidence for higher or lower performance.

The other biases don’t fit as well. The halo effect would push ratings up across the board based on one positive trait, not a general pull toward the middle. Recency error weights only recent events, ignoring overall performance history. Leniency error tends to produce overly generous ratings across the board, not a middle-of-the-road rating when extremes are warranted.