L. Jussim et al., SELF-CONSISTENCY, SELF-ENHANCEMENT, AND ACCURACY IN REACTIONS TO FEEDBACK, Journal of experimental social psychology, 31(4), 1995, pp. 322-356
An experiment tested predictions generated by a model of the role of s
elf-consistency, self-enhancement, and accuracy in reactions to feedba
ck. The model proposed that affective reactions would be dominated by
self-enhancement, that attributions and perceptions of feedback accura
cy would be dominated by seif-consistency, and that self-evaluations a
nd expectations for future performance would reflect both self-consist
ency and accuracy. One hundred seventy-two subjects received either po
sitive or negative feedback regarding their performance on an anagrams
test. Results generally supported the model. Self-enhancement dominat
ed affective responses: Subjects felt better after receiving positive
feedback than after receiving negative feedback. Self-consistency effe
cts emerged for attributions and perceptions of feedback accuracy: (1)
Those high in self-esteem accepted more responsibility for receiving
positive feedback than negative feedback, and they viewed positive fee
dback as more accurate; (2) Those low in self-esteem accepted more res
ponsibility for negative feedback than positive feedback, and perceive
d negative feedback as more accurate. Reflecting both accuracy and sel
f-consistency, there were main effects for both feedback and self-este
em on self-evaluations and expectations. Discussion focuses on how thi
s study supports the model, the value of distinguishing among differen
t types of cognitive reactions, and the need to explicitly incorporate
accuracy concerns in perspectives on reactions to feedback. (C) 1995
Academic Press, Inc.