New issues in the use of behaviorally anchored rating scales: Level of analysis, the effects of incident frequency, and external validation

Two parallel forms of behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) were developed based on frequently vs infrequently appearing behaviors to measure the combat effectiveness of small military units-tank crews. The BARS were used by 37 commanders of tanks, tank platoons, and tank companies to evaluate the performance of tanks in their units and were validated against a standard field test of the tank crews' proficiency. Results indicate that BARS can be developed for a valid measurement of unit effectiveness and that BARS based on more frequent incidents result in more lenient judgments. Implications for the use of BARS and the judgmental issues involved in their generation and use are discussed. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).