Normative Feedback in Automated Instruction

Abstract

This experiment investigated the effects of normative feedback (degree of agreement of learner's response with averaged expert opinion) in a learning situation which ordinarily is based on subjective judgment, and compared the effects of subjective (normative) vs objective (right-wrong) feedback in promoting discrimination learning of smoothness of machined metal surfaces. In Exp. I, two groups were given normative and objective feedback, respectively, while two control groups received no feedback. It was not possible to evaluate the two forms of feedback because the “expert” group, which served as the model for subjects receiving subjective feedback, performed no better on the criterion task than did a naive control group. In Exp. II, an additional group received normative feedback and another, objective feedback. Ss receiving feedback in the form of the percentage of expert agreement for any given response made no more errors in criterion performance than Ss who received “right-wrong” feedback. Also, Ss receiving subjective feedback did not differ significantly from the model at the end of training. This work demonstrates the possibility of using an automated instructional device for teaching non-objective responses including judgments of social or nonsocial stimuli, values, and attitudes.