Effects of job experience on supervisor attributions for a subordinate's poor performance

Abstract

64 undergraduates worked for 2 hrs in 6-person groups on a proofreading task. Half the Ss were supervisors and half were proofreaders; roles were alternated after 1 hr. Performance was controlled so that all supervisors believed they were evaluating a poor performing subordinate. Results show that experienced supervisors (Ss who served as supervisors first and then as proofreaders) tended to blame the environment more for the poor performance and recommended more changes in that environment than did nonexperienced supervisors. A field study with 30 military officers indicated that external attributions were positively correlated with the amount of experience the supervisor had working on the same task. Results are discussed within the framework of an attributional model of performance evaluation. (24 ref) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)