ON THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF IGNORANCE - HOW PERFORMANCE SATISFACTIONIS AFFECTED BY KNOWING THE STANDARD PRIOR TO PERFORMANCE

Subjects in two experiments performed a novel task. They were given a performance standard either before or after performance. Half the subj ects were given performance feedback indicating that performance excee ded the standard (i.e., success); the other half were given performanc e feedback indicating that performance was below the standard (i.e., f ailure). The findings indicate that the timing of the presentation of the standard influences the affective reaction to performance. Subject s who received the standard after performance were more satisfied (in the success condition) or more dissastified (in the failure condition) than those who received the standard prior to performance. Experiment 2 also included variations in the timing of the presentation of the s tandard and in the feedback following performance. No systematic diffe rences were found between these conditions. Implications of these find ings of models of performance evaluation are discussed.