EFFECTS OF FEEDBACK SIGN ON GROUP GOAL-SETTING, STRATEGIES, AND PERFORMANCE

Previous research on the effects of feedback sign on goal setting and performance at the individual level suggests that individuals who rece ive negative feedback perform at higher levels and set higher goals th an individuals who receive positive feedback. However, little research has been conducted to examine the effects of feedback sign on group g oals and performance. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of feedback sign on group goal setting, strategy developme nt, and task performance. Fifty-nine, three-person groups participated in a group word recognition task. Groups were exposed to either posit ive or negative feedback after completing the task. They were then ask ed to write down their strategies as a group and to perform the task a second time. The results suggested that, although groups that receive d negative feedback were less satisfied, these groups set higher goals , developed more strategies, and performed at higher levels than group s that received positive feedback. Exploratory path analysis of the da ta also suggested that both feedback sign and performance at Time 1 ha d an indirect effect on performance through group goals.