In the mind's eye: What organizational members "see" in performance feedback
Abstract
Performance feedback is an important, though complex communicative phenomenon. It may facilitate organizational performance, commitment, and satisfaction, or it may contribute to reduced morale, effort and task performance. To understand better why each response might occur, focus is directed to feedback recipient perceptions of and reactions to these task-relevant messages. Thus, the research presented here seeks to explore the underlying complexity of this seemingly simple construct and individual responses to it. In particular, two separate studies address the "hidden structure" or multidimensionality of performance feedback from the recipient's perspective, and whether these salient dimensions further explanation and prediction of feedback's impact. Study 1 involves the collection and categorization of actual feedback messages into subjectively-meaningful groups. These data are analyzed using multidimensional scaling to produce a three-dimensionsal solution identifiable as message valence, sensitivity, and instruction/advice. Study 2 extends this research by assessing the predictive power of these dimensions for three types of individual responses--cognitive (feedback acceptance), affective (attitude change), and behavioral (perceived performance change). Results indicate that both collectively and individually, these dimensions are highly predictive of positive and negative reactions to performance feedback. Specific findings, their implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Smith, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Communication|Occupational psychology|Management
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