Dual judgment processing in feedback: opening Pandora’s box

Abstract

Purpose In this commentary, the authors follow DeNisi and Sockbeson’s suggestions to reintegrate the organizational feedback and feedback-seeking literatures. They build on and extend their theorizing by suggesting a framework of simultaneous dual judgment processing in both feedback-seeking and organizational feedback interventions.. Design/methodology/approach In the model, evaluation salience plays a role in how performance information is stored (i.e. as online judgments or loose memories), and rater motivation will determine to what extent the rater will deliberately use the stored information to give feedback. Findings The authors clarify some of the implications of the model for the accuracy of the feedback given, as well as how the cognitive methods that are used can be one of the explaining mechanisms in the link between feedback and performance. Originality/value This dual judgment processing approach accounts for the true complexity of the process of organizational feedback that has been largely ignored in past research.