Recent performance appraisal research has highlighted the important role played by contextual and individual factors in shaping rating behavior. This article reviews cumulated empirical data supporting the proposition that in factors and constraints present in the organization, contexts in which appraisal systems reside and rater attributes, such as personality factors or beliefs, systematically affect rating behavior. The effects of these context and rater factors are reflected in ratings accuracy, ratings discrimination among raters/dimensions, and rating elevation.