Examination of the explanatory role of self-evaluation motives when studying feedback-seeking behavior in organizations
type: CreativeWork
description: The objectives of the studies presented in this dissertation are threefold. First, on the basis of the self-motives framework, we aimed to identify new antecedents of feedback-seeking behavior. Second, we took a closer look at unresolved issues from previous feedback research by considering the explanatory role of self-motives. Third, we aimed to investigate how self-motives research might contribute to understanding the troubling relationship between feedback and performance. The first chapter of this dissertation presents an overview of past feedback-seeking research by systematically reviewing 49 studies that examined feedback-seeking behavior. In the second chapter, I examined how feedback-seeking across performance dimensions can be influenced by changing the feedback-seeker’s lay beliefs. An experiment showed that people sought more feedback about important dimensions as opposed to unimportant dimensions and sought more feedback about non-modifiable dimensions as opposed to modifiable dimensions. In the third chapter, I took a closer look at the relationship between uncertainty and feedback-seeking. Results of two studies showed that the relationship between uncertainty and feedback-seeking is less simple than previously thought. People sought more indirect feedback at high and low levels of uncertainty as opposed to moderate levels of uncertainty. In the fourth chapter, I investigated whether employees are merely interested in hearing good news about themselves or are more interested in feedback that confirms their self-concept. Results across two studies showed that people mainly reacted favorably to positive feedback. It seems that feedback reactions are dominated by self-enhancement strivings and that self-verification strivings are less prominent. In the fifth chapter I investigated the impact of requiring individuals to elaborate on feedback messages on task performance. Results of two studies showed that mean performance on a web-based in basket improve…
abstract: The objectives of the studies presented in this dissertation are threefold. First, on the basis of the self-motives framework, we aimed to identify new antecedents of feedback-seeking behavior. Second, we took a closer look at unresolved issues from previous feedback research by considering the explanatory role of self-motives. Third, we aimed to investigate how self-motives research might contribute to understanding the troubling relationship between feedback and performance. The first chapter of this dissertation presents an overview of past feedback-seeking research by systematically reviewing 49 studies that examined feedback-seeking behavior. In the second chapter, I examined how feedback-seeking across performance dimensions can be influenced by changing the feedback-seeker’s lay beliefs. An experiment showed that people sought more feedback about important dimensions as opposed to unimportant dimensions and sought more feedback about non-modifiable dimensions as opposed to modifiable dimensions. In the third chapter, I took a closer look at the relationship between uncertainty and feedback-seeking. Results of two studies showed that the relationship between uncertainty and feedback-seeking is less simple than previously thought. People sought more indirect feedback at high and low levels of uncertainty as opposed to moderate levels of uncertainty. In the fourth chapter, I investigated whether employees are merely interested in hearing good news about themselves or are more interested in feedback that confirms their self-concept. Results across two studies showed that people mainly reacted favorably to positive feedback. It seems that feedback reactions are dominated by self-enhancement strivings and that self-verification strivings are less prominent. In the fifth chapter I investigated the impact of requiring individuals to elaborate on feedback messages on task performance. Results of two studies showed that mean performance on a web-based in basket improve…
author: Anseel, Frederik
language: und
date published: 2005
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:23:03Z
provider: Ghent University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Ghent University

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-468210