Supervisor–subordinate similarity: Types, effects, and mechanisms

Three types ofsupervisor-subordinate similarity were identified: (a) perceived similarity, percep-tions of how similar the supervisor and subordinate are; (b) perceptual congruence, similarity of perceptions about behaviors important in receiving a high merit pay raise; and (c) actual similarity of individual characteristics. The relation(s) among the types of similarity and of each type with various employee outcomes were examined. Results supported the distinctions among types. Each type was related to subordinate performance. Results were less consistent for job atisfaction and pay ratings. Perceived similarity yielded the strongest relation with the dependent variables. The findings also uggest that similarity affects evaluations not only through bias, butalso partly because of differences in supervisor-subordinate interactions. Numerous tudies have identified factors that affect perfor-mance ratings. One such factor is supervisor-subordinate simi-larity (Landy & Farr, 1980). The present study explores possible effects of three types of similarity: (a) perceived similarity be-tween the evaluator and another person, (b) similarity of super-visor and subordinate perceptions about aspects of the work en-vironment, and (c) actual or demographic similarity. In research on perceived similarity it has generally been as-sumed that a person who is perceived as similar to the evaluator is more attractive, so that decisions and evaluations regarding that person are biased positively (Byrne, 196 l; Byrne, Young, & Griffitt, 1966). Experimental manipulations of similarity have generally supported this assumption. Persons een as similar in attitudes and background were treated and evaluated more fa-vorably than were those seen as dissimilar (Baskett, 1973; Go