The effects of feedback source, message and receiver characteristics on intrinsic motivation

Cognitive Evaluation Theory (CET) predicts that positive competence feedback will increase intrinsic motivation (IM) through increased feelings of competence and self‐determination. The present study was a test of four variables that moderate the impact of verbal feedback on IM: the Valence of the feedback (positive vs. neutral), the source of the feedback (expert vs. nonexpert), the referent of the feedback (task behavior vs. personal), and the sex of the feedback recipient. An experimental simulation indicated that 1) positive feedback increases IM more than does neutral feedback, and 2) valence, referent and expertise interact (found with one of the two dependent measures), such that positive, task‐behavior feedback administered by an expert source increases IM more than any other combination of these three variables. When sex is included in analyses, significant interactions emerge indicating higher IM for females in: 1) personal referent conditions; 2) positive valence, expert source conditions; and 3) positive valence, personal referent conditions. Overall, CET is supported and extended.