INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOSOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SUPERVISORS ON PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL OF THE SUBORDINATES IN SELECTED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COLLEGES IN NIGERIA BY UFOEGBUNE, Ogochuku B.Sc. (Ibadan), M.Sc. (Ibadan) (Matric. No. 959009044) Being a Thesis Submitted to the School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Lagos in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Psychology. SUPERVISORS: Dr. O. B. Fagbohungbe Dr. I. S. Agiobu-Kemmer MAY, 2013 ii CERTIFICATION iii DEDICATION This research work is dedicated to the sweet memories of my wonderful parents, Chief Isikwe Umemezie Ufoegbune, JP, MNIS; and Mrs. Theresa Odimbu Ufoegbune and my beautiful younger sister, Mrs. Evarista Ekioja, (nee Ufoegbune) who passed on in the early hours of 8 th July, 2012. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is not possible to undertake a research work of this nature without being indebted to several people. I therefore wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. O. B. Fagbohungbe for his efforts at going through the work and making necessary suggestions and corrections at every stage. I will forever be indebted to my second supervisor and Head of Department, Dr. I. S. Agiobu-Kemmer who I benefited immensely from her wealth of experience in research writing. I hope your book on research writing will be published soon, God bless you. To my first supervisor, Prof. Nwagbo Eze, I say thank you so much for pioneering this work. My appreciation also goes to the Departmental Post-Graduate Co-ordinator, Dr. K. O. Ayenibiowo for her efforts at seeing to the completion of this work. My gratitude also goes to the lecturers in the Psychology Department, University of Lagos for their assistance and my colleagues for their cooperation. I am very grateful to the wonderful parents God blessed me with. Your deep love for your children has kept us going even in your absence. To my darling husband, Daniel and my beautiful daughter, Princess who had to cope with my continuous absence from home while the research work lasted, I promise to make it up to you. My deep gratitude also goes to my wonderful siblings, Dr. (Mrs.) Linda Onwuka & her husband, Prof. Chryss Onwuka, my kid sister, Barrister (Mrs.) Ndidi Odife & her husband, Chief Nick Odife. Thank you so much for your love and support. I also wish to thank my friend, Barrister (Mrs.) Nnenna Ugwu Chima, who took care of Princess in my absence, God will reward you. To every other person too numerous to mention, who contributed in one way or the other to the successful completion of this work, I say may God bless you all. Above all, I am most grateful to God for His grace, goodness, mercy, favour v and divine provision that enabled me to complete the work. He protected me during the several journeys I had to make from Abuja to Lagos and gave me good health, to Him be the glory forever. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages Title page i Certification ii Dedication iii Acknowledgements iv Table of Contents vi List of Tables ix List of Figure x Abstract xi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background to the Study 1 1.2 Statement of Problem 3 1.3 Purpose of Study 6 1.4 Research Questions 7 1.5 Research Hypotheses 8 1.6 Significance of Study 9 1.7 Scope of Study 9 1.8 Operational Definition of Terms 10 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 12 2.1 Performance Criteria 12 2.2 Methods of Appraising Performance 13 2.2.1 Comparative Method (CM) 13 2.2.2 Ranking Method (RM) 14 2.2.3 Paired Comparison Method (PCM) 14 2.2.4 Forced Distribution (FD) 14 2.2.5 Checklists (C) 15 2.2.6 Rating Scales (RS) 17 2.2.6 (i) Graphic Rating Scales (GRS) 17 2.2.6 (ii) Mixed-Standard Scale (MSS) 17 vii 2.2.6 (iii) Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scale (BARS) 18 2.2.6 (iv) Behavioural Observation Scale (BOS) 18 2.2.7 Narrative Methods (NM) 18 2.2.8 Critical Incident Technique (CIT) 19 2.2.9 Management by Objectives (MBO) 20 2.3 Errors in Ratings 21 2.3.1 Halo/Horn Effect 21 2.3.2 Leniency/Severity Errors 21 2.3.3 Central Tendency Errors 22 2.3.4 Similarity/Contrast Errors 22 2.3.5 Proximity Errors/ Logical Errors 22 2.3.6 Recency Error 23 2.4 Studies on Gender and Performance Appraisal 23 2.5 Relationship between Race/Ethnicity and Performance Appraisal 51 2.6 Studies on the Influence of Age/Experience in Performance Appraisal 60 2.7 Studies on Job Involvement 85 2.8 Studies on Personality 108 2.9 Theoretical/Conceptual Framework 112 2.9.1 Theoretical Framework 112 2.9.1 (i) Social Identity Theory 112 2.9.1 (ii) Information Processing Theory 118 2.9.1 (iii) Performance Appraisal Process Model 121 2.9.2 Conceptual Framework 122 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 124 3.1 Research Setting 124 3.2 Research Population 124 3.3 Sample 125 3.4 Sampling Procedures 125 3.5 Research Design 126 3.6 Instruments 127 viii 3.6.1 Performance Evaluation Scale (PES) 127 3.6.2 Job Involvement (JI) Scale 129 3.6.3 Adjective Checklist (ACL) Scale 130 3.6.4 Psychosocial Data Questionnaire (PDQ) 130 3.6.5 Scoring 131 3.7 Procedure 131 3.7.1 Pilot study 132 3.7.2 Training of Research Assistants 132 3.7.3 Administration of Instruments 133 3.7.4 Collection of Data 133 CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSES 134 4. 1 Standardisation of Performance Evaluation Scale (PES) 134 4.2 Hypothesis Testing 138 4.2.1 Hypothesis One 138 4.2.2 Hypothesis Two 138 4.2.3 Hypothesis Three 141 4.2.4 Hypothesis Four 143 4.2.5 Hypothesis Five 143 4.2.6 Hypothesis Six 143 CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 149 5.1 Summary of Findings 149 5.2 Discussion of Findings 150 CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 160 6.1 Conclusions 160 6.1.1 Contributions to Knowledge 161 6.2 Recommendations 161 REFERENCES 165 APPENDICES 177 ix LIST OF TABLES Pages Table 3.1: The Sample Distribution of the Study 126 Table 4.1: Correlation Matrix of the 32 Items of the Performance Evaluation Scale 135 Table 4.2: Factors, Eigenvalues and Variances of the Items on the Performance Evaluation Scale 136 Table 4.3: Rotated Factor Matrix of Performance Evaluation Scale (PES) 137 Table 4.4: Means and Standard Deviations of the Ratings of Supervisors based on their Religion 139 Table 4.5: Means and Standard Deviations of the Ratings of Supervisors based on their Ethnicity 139 Table 4.6: Summary of a 2x4 ANOVA of the Influence of Religion and Ethnicity on the Performance Ratings 140 Table 4.7: Post Hoc Test Showing the Differences among the Different Means of Religion and Ethnicity Groups 141 Table 4.8: Means and SD’s of Scores given by Male and Female Supervisors 142 Table 4.9: Summary of a One-Way ANOVA of Male and Female Supervisors’ Ratings 143 Table 4.10: Means and SDs’ of Scores given to Subordinates by Supervisors of different Age, Experience and Job Involvement Groups. 144 Table 4.11: Summary of the Influence of Supervisors’ Age, Job Experience and Job Involvement on Appraisal 145 Table 4.12: Post Hoc Test for Differences among Pairs of Means of Age and Job Experience Groups 146 Table 4.13: Post Hoc Test for Differences among Pairs of Means of Job Experience and Job Involved Groups 146 Table 4.14: Means, SDs and Independent t Test Results of the Personal Adjustment Groups 147 Table 4.15: Summary of the Multiple Regression Analysis of the Relationship Between the Six Factors Extracted from Factor Analysis as Sub-Scales of Performance Evaluation Scale 148 x LIST OF FIGURE Figure 2.1: Showing the Conceptual Framework of the Study 122 xi ABSTRACT The psychosocial characteristics of supervisors are assumed to be some of the factors that influence the assessment of subordinates in organisations. Therefore, the study determined the influence of some psychosocial characteristics such as religion, ethnic group affiliation, gender, age, experience, job involvement and personality of supervisors on their evaluation of the performance of their subordinates in selected Federal Government Colleges in Nigeria. Attempt was also made to modify and standardise the current Nigerian Public Service Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER) form into a new Performance Evaluation Scale (PES). Seven hundred and twenty participants were drawn from 24 Federal Government Colleges from 12 states in the 6 geo-political zones of the country. The survey research method was used to collect the data. The sample was made up of 120 supervisors and 600 subordinates. The stratified sampling method was used in drawing up the participants. The statistical designs included the Pearson correlation coefficient statistics, factor analysis, ANOVA and the post hoc tests. Results showed that Moslem supervisors gave significantly less favourable ratings to Christian subordinates [F(1,595)=7.01, P<.01]. It was also found that supervisors from Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba ethnic groups gave significantly more favourable ratings to subordinates of their own ethnic groups [F(3, 595) = 4.73, P<.01]. Findings also showed that supervisors with long experience gave significantly more favourable ratings than supervisors with low experience [F (1,592) =11.80, P<.01] while high job involved supervisors gave significantly more favourable ratings than low job involved supervisors in the appraisal of subordinates’ job performance [F (1,592) = 16.31, P<.01]. However, gender and age of supervisors had no significant influence on their performance assessment [F (1,592) =2.05, P>.05]; [F (1,599) = 1.32, P>.05]. The study has demonstrated that psychosocial characteristics of supervisors such as religion, ethnicity, job experience and level of job involvement significantly influence supervisors’ evaluation of the performance of their subordinates in the Federal Government Colleges in Nigeria. The study further demonstrated that gender and age have no influence on the performance appraisal of subordinates. The appraisal process should be carried out in a non- judgmental, unbiased manner to ensure increased staff motivation. Furthermore, organisations should ensure that multiple supervisors who are familiar with the subordinates’ actual job performance carry out the assessment of subordinates work.