Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Practice Exam

What is the horn effect in employee evaluations?

1. Overestimating the abilities of employees based on one success

2. Giving low ratings due to a single perceived weakness

3. Inflating ratings based on friendships in the workplace

4. Providing an overall high rating because of satisfactory performance

The correct answer is: Giving low ratings due to a single perceived weakness

The horn effect in employee evaluations refers to the tendency to give lower ratings to an employee based on a single perceived weakness. This cognitive bias can lead evaluators to overlook an employee's strengths and contributions because of one negative trait or incident. In practice, if an evaluator has noted a specific area where an employee is lacking—such as meeting deadlines or communication skills—they may allow this weakness to overshadow the individual's overall performance. Consequently, despite the employee excelling in other areas, the negative perception created by the weakness can lead to a disproportionately low evaluation score. This effect highlights how biases can impact performance assessments and emphasizes the importance of providing a holistic evaluation of an employee's capabilities rather than relying on isolated attributes.