THE EFFECTS OF MONITORING INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP-PERFORMANCE ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF EFFORT ACROSS TASKS

Authors
Citation
N. Brewer, THE EFFECTS OF MONITORING INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP-PERFORMANCE ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF EFFORT ACROSS TASKS, Journal of applied social psychology, 25(9), 1995, pp. 760-777
Citations number
39
Categorie Soggetti
Psychology, Social
ISSN journal
00219029
Volume
25
Issue
9
Year of publication
1995
Pages
760 - 777
Database
ISI
SICI code
0021-9029(1995)25:9<760:TEOMIA>2.0.ZU;2-8
Abstract
This study was concerned with the mechanism(s) via which performance m onitoring affects task performance. To investigate whether an individu al's concerns over the evaluation of his or her performance underlie t he effects of performance monitoring (independent of contingent conseq uences) on the distribution of effort across tasks, the study examined whether the way in which individuals performed two tasks was differen tially affected by the way in which supervisors monitored performance on those tasks. Subjects working in a group setting performed two diff erent tasks for 90 minutes, their instructions being to perform as wel l as possible on each task. When supervisors periodically monitored th e work output of each individual within the group on one of the two ta sks, subjects perceived that the supervisor was evaluating and compari ng individual performance, and produced more on the monitored task at the expense of the unmonitored task. When, however, the supervisor's m onitoring focused on group rather than individual products, subjects p erceived that the supervisor was less likely to be able to evaluate an d to compare individual performance, and their performance on the two tasks was the same, regardless of which task was monitored. Path analy sis supported the interpretation that the effects of monitoring on per formance were mediated by evaluation concerns associated with performa nce on each task.