Examining the Role of Observer Personality on the Predictive Validity of Personality Ratings

Drawing on Hogan’s Socioanalytic Theory (Hogan, 1996) and Funder’s Realistic Accuracy Model (Funder, 1995), I investigate key sources of variance in the predictive validity of reputational personality ratings. More specifically, I explore how characteristics of the individuals providing observer ratings of personality impact the relative and incremental predictive validities of these reputational ratings. Results of a field study indicate that in terms of predicting job performance, reputational ratings of personality have the potential to capture both higher relative predictive validities and higher incremental predictive validities over identity (i.e., self) ratings. However, the extent to which reputational ratings outperform identity ratings depends on personality characteristics of the observer such that relative and incremental predictive validities are highest when observers score high on measures of conscientious and openness.