TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of feedback frequency on learning and task performance
T2 - Challenging the " more is better" assumption
AU - Lam, Chak Fu
AU - DeRue, D. Scott
AU - Karam, Elizabeth P.
AU - Hollenbeck, John R.
PY - 2011/11
Y1 - 2011/11
N2 - Previous research on feedback frequency suggests that more frequent feedback improves learning and task performance (Salmoni, Schmidt, & Walter, 1984). Drawing from resource allocation theory (Kanfer & Ackerman, 1989), we challenge the " more is better" assumption and propose that frequent feedback can overwhelm an individual's cognitive resource capacity, thus reducing task effort and producing an inverted-U relationship with learning and performance over time. We then propose that positive and negative affective states will moderate the inverted-U relationship between feedback frequency and task performance. We test these propositions in an experimental study where the frequency of task feedback is manipulated. Results show that feedback frequency exhibits an inverted-U relationship with task performance, and this relationship is mediated by task effort. This curvilinear relationship is then moderated by individual's positive affective state.
AB - Previous research on feedback frequency suggests that more frequent feedback improves learning and task performance (Salmoni, Schmidt, & Walter, 1984). Drawing from resource allocation theory (Kanfer & Ackerman, 1989), we challenge the " more is better" assumption and propose that frequent feedback can overwhelm an individual's cognitive resource capacity, thus reducing task effort and producing an inverted-U relationship with learning and performance over time. We then propose that positive and negative affective states will moderate the inverted-U relationship between feedback frequency and task performance. We test these propositions in an experimental study where the frequency of task feedback is manipulated. Results show that feedback frequency exhibits an inverted-U relationship with task performance, and this relationship is mediated by task effort. This curvilinear relationship is then moderated by individual's positive affective state.
KW - Feedback frequency
KW - Learning
KW - Task performance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80053276744&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.obhdp.2011.05.002
DO - 10.1016/j.obhdp.2011.05.002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:80053276744
SN - 0749-5978
VL - 116
SP - 217
EP - 228
JO - Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
JF - Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
IS - 2
ER -