Locke's goal setting theory : determining the effectiveness of public versus private feedback in increasing performance in both laboratory and field settings

Abstract

The primary objective of these studies was to attempt to determine the relative effectiveness of the type of feedback when combined with goal setting. It has been demonstrated in previous research that the combination of goal setting and KR (or feedback) results in increased performance over either goal setting or feedback alone. However, little research has been conducted on the relative effectiveness of type of feedback. Three studies were conducted. Study I consisted of a post-test questionnaire administered to 165 Saint Mary's University students in two feedback conditions: private feedback only and private plus public feedback. It was hypothesized that the two groups would differ in the types of goals set, expectations of goal acheivement and perceptions of the feedback recieved. This was not demonstrated. It did appear that the introduction of public feedback negatively affected the subject's view of the source of the feedback. Study 2 was a field study conducted in a retail setting in Halifax N.S. It was hypothesized that either public feedback alone or the combination of public and private feedback would significantly increase performance on the dependent measures over both baseline and private feedback alone. A modified reversal design was used, and there were two dependent measures: housekeeping tasks and cash discrepancies. Assigned organizational goals and three feedback conditions were used: private feedback alone, public feedback alone, and public plus private feedback. Results were not conclusive, and were attributed primarily to a Hawthorne effect. Study 3 was a laboratory study again utilizing a modified reversal design, assigned goals and three feedback conditions. two dependent measures were used: number of simple clerical tasks completed, and number completed correctly. Twenty-four subjects were used, 12 per condition assigned either an easy or hard goal. There were no differences among types of feedback for the group assigned an easy goal. For the group assigned a hard goal, performance decreased after the presentation of public plus private feedback. As in Study 1, the introduction of public and private feedback appears to be aversive to effective performance. Future research needs to address the issues raised in these studies. Feedback type appears to affect performance; however, the extent or nature of this effect has not been determined.