Resistance to Evaluation

Abstract

Programme evaluators frequently encounter resistance from individuals affected by evaluation. Resistance occurs throughout the evaluation process, from the inception of an evaluation to the utilization of its findings. This article addresses possible psychological explanations for such resistance. The objectives of the article are: to provide a review of the relevant evaluation literature; to offer a theoretical analysis of social (and organizational) psychological concepts (e.g. control, reactance, competition, etc.) with regard to their explanatory value for the resistance phenomenon; and to derive strategies on how to deal effectively with resistance. In order to investigate the empirical legitimacy of the proposed theoretical explanations, we conducted a study asking 21 expert evaluation practitioners about their views on the plausibility and practical relevance of the suggested psychological explanations.