Individual and Group Feedback and Performance: An Attributional Perspective

Abstract

Although a fair amount of research has focused on the effects of either individual-level or group-level feedback on motivation and performance, little empirical work has attempted to understand how these two levels of feedback operate together. Based on Weiner's (1985) model of attribution processes and motivation, this study assessed the degree to which attributions and performance expectations mediate the effects of both individual and group feedback on individual and group performance. Subjects were asked to work on a difficult and ambiguous task both as individuals and as four-person groups. Bogus feedback was then provided concerning group performance {positive or negative) and individual performance (positive, negative, or no feedback). Following the feedback, subjects rated the importance of a number of attributional dimensions in determining both their individual and their group's performance, and estimated how well they and their group would perform on a similar task in the future. Both individuals and groups then worked on a parallel form of the initial task. Although neither type of feedback affected group performance, both individual- and group-level feedback affected individual performance, In addition, expectations mediated the effects of both individual- and group-level feedback on performance, although little if any mediational effect was found for attributions. Theoretical and practical implications of the research are discussed.