Supervisor beware: Contemptuous feedback harms low performers and taxes working memory of rejection sensitive persons

Abstract

In this independent constructive replication and generalizability study, we revisit Melwani and Barsade’s laboratory study on receiving contempt in a work context. They found that recipients of contempt had better task performance than the recipients of neutral, angry, or no failure feedback. They also found social status moderates this link, such that the low-status recipients of contempt performed significantly better than high-status recipients. The present study revisits the emotional feedback and performance link by focusing on objective task performance in a supervisor–subordinate setting. Participants ( N = 124) were randomly assigned to one of three scripted negative feedback conditions (neutral, anger, and contempt) and interacted with the team using an online messenger platform. Participants completed three copyediting tasks and received three rounds of negative written feedback. Results indicated that contempt led to a distinct pattern: subjects with low baseline performance on copyediting tasks consistently performed worse in the contempt condition than those in other conditions. We also extend the replication by showing how working memory is taxed differentially across feedback conditions. We found that rejection-sensitive participants incurred greater working memory deficits when receiving contempt. Our results inform research on Golem and Underdog effects and can also have implications for inclusive management practices in online work.