Which problem is giving an undeserved high rating due to bias?

• A. Leniency
• B. Strictness
• C. Central Tendency
• D. Halo Effect

Answer: (A)

Raters tend to give higher scores than warranted, which is leniency bias. When a supervisor is lenient, they inflate ratings to avoid conflict or to keep morale up, so performance is described as better than it actually is. This creates undeserved high ratings across the board, masking gaps and development needs.

Strictness would produce lower scores, not inflated ones. Central tendency pulls ratings toward the middle, reducing extremes but not necessarily giving consistently higher-than-deserved ratings. The halo effect would inflate ratings in multiple areas based on one positive trait, but the question points to a general tendency to rate too high, which best fits leniency bias.