Mechanism of feedback affecting task performance

Abstract

Two experiments found that the beneficial effect of feedback on performace was anegative function of goal progress. In Study 1, 87 female college students were given the goal to solve 70 arithmetic problems on a trial lasting 10 min. After 5-min work on the trial, the subjects received feedback on the number attempted. To the extentthat their goal progress was low, the subjects felt less satisfied with their previous progress, had a low expectancy of reaching the goal, became more involved in the task, and workedfaster than they had previously. In addition, it was suggested that the goal and feedback induced a larger amount of effort from the subjects who were low in progres than from the subjects who were high in progress. Study 2, using 103 male undergraduates as subjects, replicated the previous findings, and also found that feedback improved performance only through its influence on the subjects' intention to work faster. Implications for previous goal/feedback related findings are discussed.