Feedback Valence Research Articles

On the mechanisms and effects of feedback in group psychotherapy

Group psychotherapists commonly see feedback as one of the primary mechanism that furthers the goals of the group. This paper will summarize the research that has been done on the mechanisms leading members to produce feedback, the factors that induce members to accept feedback (for example, feedback valence and timing), and the effects of feedback on outcome and aspects of group process such as group cohesion. The article will address the practical implications of these findings for the interventions of the group psychotherapist. As will be discussed, the emphasis on the importance of feedback in the interpersonal group psychotherapy literature exceeds the programmatic research that has been done on basic questions. This paper will identify major lines of future investigation that could yield findings critical to the delivery of effective group psychotherapy such as the information processing sequences that underlie feedback delivery and reception.

Aggression following performance feedback: The influences of narcissism, feedback valence, and comparative standard

This study investigated the relation between narcissism and aggression after feedback with varied response options available. Extending previous research, the influence of the comparative standard on which feedback is based was included as a variable in the design. Participants were 120 undergraduates. Feedback valence and comparative standard were experimentally manipulated and randomly predetermined. Replicating previous research, narcissism was associated with increased aggressiveness after negative feedback. However, this effect was specific to males. Following negative feedback, self-referenced (i.e., ipsative) feedback was associated with significantly less increase in aggression than feedback based on an idealized standard. These findings suggest that the manner in which feedback is delivered may influence aggression. The implications of these findings for the prevention of aggression are discussed.

Frontomedian activation depends on both feedback validity and valence: fMRI evidence for contextual feedback evaluation

Activation within the posterior frontomedian cortex (pFMC) is suggested to be involved in decision conflict, which typically emerges whenever one does not know which action to choose in order to receive a positive outcome. Decision conflict attenuates due to learning which is often indicated by and therefore confounded with the receipt of increasingly frequent positive and decreasingly frequent negative feedback. The present functional Magnetic Resonance study aimed to disentangle the influence of the factors processing of negative feedback and contextual feedback evaluation on pFMC activation. Participants performed a forced choice paradigm in which they had to decide which one out of two competing stimuli would win in a virtual competition game. In one condition (rule learning, RL), participants were provided with valid feedback so that contextual feedback evaluation had a guiding function for action and thus enabled learning. In contrast, participants received no valid information from feedback in another condition (putative learning, PL) and hence could not learn on the basis of contextual feedback evaluation. However, a learning effect in the latter condition was simulated by gradually increasing the frequency of positive feedback and decreasing the frequency of negative feedback according to a learning model which was derived from pilot data. Importantly, participants were naive with respect to feedback manipulations. Beyond confirming pFMC activation for decision conflicts, a significant interaction between validity and valence of feedback in pFMC revealed the specific contribution of contextual feedback evaluation processes on activation of this area. Not the processing of negative feedback per se, which was found to elicit activation within anterior cingulate cortex, but the evaluation of feedback against the background of the current mental model is suggested to be reflected by pFMC activation.

Brain potentials associated with expected and unexpected good and bad outcomes

The error-related negativity (ERN) is an event-related brain potential observed when subjects receive feedback indicating errors or monetary losses. Evidence suggests that the ERN is larger for unexpected negative feedback. The P300 has also been shown to be enhanced for unexpected feedback, but does not appear to be sensitive to feedback valence. The present study evaluated the role of expectations on the ERN and P300 in two experiments that manipulated the probability of negative feedback (25%, 50%, or 75%) on a trial-by-trial basis in experiment 1, and by varying the frequency of positive and negative feedback across blocks of trials in experiment 2. In both experiments, P300 amplitude was larger for unexpected feedback; however, the ERN was equally large for expected and unexpected negative feedback. These results are discussed in terms of the potential role of expectations in processing errors and negative feedback.

Mindset effects on information search in self-evaluation

Research on mindset theory (Gollwitzer & Bayer, 1999) observed that people in an implemental mindset show an orientation towards positive illusionary self-evaluations, whereas people in a deliberative mindset opt for accurate self-evaluations. In the present study, we tested whether these self-evaluative orientations and the associated search for certain types of self-relevant information (feedback) are moderated by low versus high self-views. With high self-view participants we observed the hypothesized mindset effects on information search, but we obtained the reverse pattern for low self-view participants. The latter finding points to self-defensiveness in low self-view individuals. Implications are discussed in terms of the consequences of accurate versus positive illusionary self-evaluations for the successful control of goal pursuits, and individual differences in mindset effects. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Social Feedback and Self‐Appraisals: Current Status of the Mead‐Cooley Hypothesis

Mead and Cooley propose that feedback from significant others provides the basis for individuals' self‐appraisals. I review research regarding (a) associations between others' judgments and individuals' self‐appraisals; (b) when others express or withhold feedback; and (c) when individuals accept or reject feedback. Research shows that others' judgments and self‐appraisals are moderately associated, though self‐ratings correspond more to perceived than to actual views by others and influences are multidirectional. Others' expressions of feedback vary across situations, depending in part on closeness of relationships and the sender's emotions. Peoples' tendencies to accept or reject feedback also vary by closeness, emotional reactions, and feedback valence. I conclude by evaluating the current status of the Mead‐Cooley perspective.

Biased reasoning: adaptive responses to health risk feedback.

The present study examined reactions toward repeated self-relevant feedback. Participants in a community health screening received feedback about their cholesterol level on two separate occasions. Reactions to the first feedback were examined with regard to feedback valence and expectedness. The findings showed that negative feedback was devalued, but only when it was unexpected. Feedback consistency was incorporated into analyses of the second feedback. Again, results showed that negative feedback was not always devalued-only when it was inconsistent with the first feedback. Furthermore, positive feedback was not unconditionally accepted. When receiving unexpected positive feedback of low consistency, recipients were doubtful about its accuracy. Conversely, expected positive feedback was accepted regardless of its consistency. These results suggest that negative or unexpected positive feedbacks evoke greater sensitivity to feedback consistency, indicating elaborate cognitive processing. Theoretical accounts of these findings are discussed.

Performance goals: The moderating roles of context and achievement orientation

Past research has yielded mixed findings for performance achievement goals. To help resolve this inconsistency, two experiments explored the moderating role of context and individual differences in achievement orientation. Participants in Study 1 pursued either a performance goal or no goal while solving enjoyable puzzles. They did so within either an evaluative or non-evaluative context, and received positive feedback after task completion. Results show that performance goals did not affect performance on the puzzles and undermined interest only when pursued within evaluative contexts by people low in achievement orientation. Study 2 replicated Study 1 and extended it by manipulating outcome feedback valence. Negative feedback given in an evaluative context undermined interest for people high in achievement orientation, but had no effect on those low in achievement orientation. The findings are related to classic achievement motivation findings and current approach–avoidant models of achievement goal theory.

The causal role of self-awareness in blushing-anxious, socially-anxious and social phobics individuals

This study examined the effect of attentional focus on social anxiety in three groups of subjects: high versus low blushing-anxious participants ( n=48); high versus low socially anxious participants ( n=60); and social phobic patients compared to patients with other anxiety disorders ( n=48). Participants were asked to imagine two series of social situations, in which the hero was in the centre of others' attention. In the first series of stories, the type of feedback from the audience (positive, negative and neutral) and the direction of attention of the hero (self- versus task-focused) were manipulated, and in the second series of stories, the presence or absence of blushing and the direction of attention of the hero were manipulated. In line with the expectations, self-focused attention (SFA) led to more social anxiety than task-focused attention (TFA) in all the three experiments, and high blushing-anxious, socially anxious, and social phobic groups reported higher levels of self-awareness than their low-anxious comparison groups. No evidence was found for the idea that self-focusing is specifically detrimental for participants who are already socially anxious, blushing-anxious, or socially phobic. Also, attentional focus did not interact with the valence of social feedback. Finally, results provided some support for the hypothesis that fear of blushing is mediated by self-focusing. The results suggest that irrespective of trait social anxiety, and irrespective of the outcome of a social situation (positive, neutral or negative), SFA increases state social anxiety, or TFA decreases state social anxiety.

When openness to experience and conscientiousness are related to creative behavior: an interactional approach.

This study adopted an interactional approach to understanding how 2 of the Five-Factor traits, openness to experience and conscientiousness, are related to creative behavior in the workplace. Openness to experience is theorized to result in high levels of creative behavior and conscientiousness is theorized to result in low levels of creative behavior when the situation allows for the manifestation of the trait influences. More specifically, the authors hypothesized that openness to experience would result in high levels of creative behavior if feedback valence were positive and job holders were presented with a heuristic task that allowed them to be creative. The authors also hypothesized that conscientiousness would result in low levels of creative behavior if supervisors engaged in close monitoring and coworkers were unsupportive. The authors tested their hypotheses in a sample of office workers, and 5 out of the 6 hypotheses were supported.

Effects of Teacher Feedback on the Reputations and Peer Perceptions of Children with Behavior Problems

We explored whether teacher feedback modified children's preferences and perceptions of a target child with behavior problems. First- and second-grade children (M age = 7.8 years) viewed a videotape of a target actor presented as having a liked, average, or disliked reputation. A second videotape depicted a teacher's verbal responses to the target's behavior as (a) positive, (b) neutral–salient, or (c) corrective. Both salience and valence of teacher feedback were assessed. Main effects of feedback and reputation indicated that feedback had at least minimal effects at each level of the target's reputation. Teacher feedback is discussed with respect to its effects on perceptions of behavior versus affective responses toward behavior-problem children. A significant interaction showed that when combined with a liked reputation, positive and neutral–salient feedback conditions increased the salience and positive evaluation of the target child, thus illustrating the importance of considering nonevaluative teacher attention in combination with children's reputational status.

Feedback valence, feedback style, task autonomy, and achievement orientation: Interactive effects on creative performance.

This study examined the interactive effects of 3 contextual variables (feedback valence, feedback style, and task autonomy) on creative performance. Data were collected from participants who performed a role-playing task in a laboratory setting (N = 210). Results demonstrated that the 3 contextual variables interacted to affect creative performance such that individuals who received positive feedback delivered in an informational style, and who worked in a high task autonomy work environment, generated the most creative ideas. This 3-way interaction held regardless of the participants' differences in achievement orientation. Implications of these results for future research are discussed.

Feedback valence, feedback style, task autonomy, and achievement orientation: Interactive effects on creative performance.

Feedback valence, feedback style, task autonomy, and achievement orientation: Interactive effects on creative performance.

Children's emotional experience: Relations among expression, self-report, and understanding.

This study assessed the influence of social evaluation on children's emotional experience and understanding. Sixty-six younger and older children (M ages = 7.12 and 12.06 years) were videotaped as they played a game, during which they received mild positive or negative feedback from another child of the same age and gender. Children's emotion report and understanding of their emotional responses were obtained in a postgame interview. Feedback valence influenced children's emotion expression, self-report, and their understanding of emotion. Girls displayed more positive and negative emotion than boys in response to social feedback and were also more accurate in reporting their initial facial expression

Supervisory Feedback: Alternative Types and Their Impact on Salespeople's Performance and Satisfaction

A fourfold typology of supervisory feedback is developed by crossing the locus of feedback (output vs. behavior) with the valence of feedback (positive vs. negative) provided to salespeople. Findings from an empirical study suggest that positive feedback serves an informational and a motivational function and has a significant effect on salespeople's performance and satisfaction. In contrast, negative feedback serves an informational function, but not a motivational function, and improves performance to a relatively small extent. Further, whereas positive output feedback is found to have the strongest total effect on performance, positive behavioral feedback appears to have the strongest total effect on satisfaction. Interestingly, neither negative output feedback nor negative behavioral feedback seems to reduce salespeople's satisfaction with supervisors. Finally, contrary to expectations, salespeople's acceptance of supervisory feedback does not appear to moderate these relationships in general.

Gender and the influence of evaluations on self-assessments in achievement settings.

This article reviews evidence for a gender difference in responsiveness to others' evaluations in achievement situations. Studies show that women's self-evaluations are more responsive to the valence of the evaluative feedback they receive than are men's. A number of possible explanations for this effect are then discussed, with the best evidence pointing to men's and women's differing construals of the informational value of others' evaluations in such situations. Research on the behavioral consequences of women's lower status as well as on children's experiences with evaluative feedback provides potential explanations for this effect. A more proximal explanation, however, lies in men's and women's different approaches to evaluative achievement situations. Men may be particularly likely to respond to the competitive nature of evaluative achievement and hence to adopt a self-confident approach that leads them to deny the informational value of others' evaluations. Women may be particularly likely to approach such situations as opportunities to gain information about their abilities.

Effects of Superiors' Feedback, Credibility, and Expertise on Subordinates' Reactions: An Experimental Study

The effects of valence of feedback, credibility of superior, and expertise of superior on subordinates' reactions to superior and effort intentions were examined in a 2 × 2 × 2 experimental study in which 120 management students participated. A significant main effect was found for feedback but not for credibility or expertise. It is argued that subordinates' reactions to feedback from superiors may sometimes be relatively unaffected by the perceived credibility or expertise of the superior.

Distinguishing the dimensions of valence and belief consistency in depressive and nondepressive information processing

The biasing effects of valence congruence and belief congruence were examined in depressed and nondepressed subjects. We hypothesized that congruence between the valence of material and subjects' psychological status, when disentangled from congruence with subjects' beliefs, would enhance recall and recognition of self-descriptions and would lead to more confirmation of feedback. Depressed and nondepressed women rated the selfdescriptiveness of personal adjectives. Two weeks later they were given bogus personality test feedback based on their prior self-descriptions. Each subject received all four combinations of two crossed dimensions: Information was either consistent or inconsistent with previously specified beliefs about the self and was either flattering or unflattering. During Session II, subjects were more likely to recall and recognize flattering self-descriptions than unflattering self-descriptions after statistically controlling for consistency with earlier beliefs. These differences were significantly more pronounced for nondepressed than for depressed subjects. Subjects rated flattering feedback as more accurate than unflattering feedback, supplied more confirmatory evidence to verify it, and assigned lower priorities to gaining additional related information. The same effect was observed for belief-congruent as compared with incongruent feedback. Depressed and nondepressed subjects did not differ significantly in response to feedback. Although feedback valence influened response to feedback, the effect was not different for depressed and nondepressed subjects.

Effect of Valence and Structure of Feedback on Reception in Personal Growth Groups

60 college students participated in a one-time personal growth group experience. Subjects were assigned to one of eight groups. Groups participated in three exercises to promote interpersonal contact. Feedback sessions followed for all groups. Two groups generated and exchanged positive feedback and two groups generated and exchanged negative feedback among group members. Lists of statements (positive or negative) were used as feedback in the other four groups. Major factors were valence, structure, and replication Positive feedback was more credible, desirable, and influential than negative feedback as rated by recipients and donors. Exchanging positive information appears more easily achieved in short-term groups than is negative information, and apparently whether information is invented or selected from lists is not crucial. Group cohesiveness and personality change apparently ate not differentially influenced by main variables. Results are discussed in terms of implications for research.

Effects of Message Valence, Communicator Credibility, and Source Anonymity on Reactions to Peer Feedback

Abstract Three possible determinants of subordinates' intended performance and affective reactions to simulated peer feedback received via superiors in an American context were examined. Valence of feedback, credibility of supervisor, and anonymity or identity of peer sources of feedback were manipulated in a 2 × 2 × 2 design. Subjects responded to two scenarios depicting a superior relating peer feedback to a subordinate. The results indicated that feedback valence had a strong effect on both dependent measures. Contrary to expectations, neither supervisor credibility nor anonymity of source interacted significantly with valence. Credibility and anonymity did significantly interact with each other when male and female subjects were separately analyzed.