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Differential effects of norm-referenced and self-referenced feedback on performance expectancies, attributions, and motivation

Publication ,  Journal Article
McColskey, W; Leary, MR
Published in: Contemporary Educational Psychology
January 1, 1985

When feedback is provided to students in a norm-referenced manner that compares the individual's performance to that of others, people who perform poorly tend to attribute their failures to lack of ability, expect to perform poorly in the future, and demonstrate decreased motivation on subsequent tasks. The present study examined the hypothesis that the deleterious effects of failure might be attenuated when failure is expressed in self-referenced terms-relative to the individual's known level of ability as assessed by other measures. In this study, subjects received feedback indicating that they did well or poorly on an anagram test, and this feedback was described as either norm-referenced (comparing the individual's performance to that of others) or as self-referenced (comparing performance to other measures of the individual's ability). As predicted, compared to norm-referenced failure, self referenced feedback resulted in higher expectancies regarding future performance and increased attributions to effort. Contrary to expectations, attributions to ability were not affected. The implications of the results for the structure of academic feedback are discussed. © 1985.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Contemporary Educational Psychology

DOI

EISSN

1090-2384

ISSN

0361-476X

Publication Date

January 1, 1985

Volume

10

Issue

3

Start / End Page

275 / 284

Related Subject Headings

  • Education
  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
  • 3904 Specialist studies in education
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1303 Specialist Studies in Education
 

Citation

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McColskey, W., & Leary, M. R. (1985). Differential effects of norm-referenced and self-referenced feedback on performance expectancies, attributions, and motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 10(3), 275–284. https://doi.org/10.1016/0361-476X(85)90024-4
McColskey, W., and M. R. Leary. “Differential effects of norm-referenced and self-referenced feedback on performance expectancies, attributions, and motivation.” Contemporary Educational Psychology 10, no. 3 (January 1, 1985): 275–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/0361-476X(85)90024-4.
McColskey W, Leary MR. Differential effects of norm-referenced and self-referenced feedback on performance expectancies, attributions, and motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology. 1985 Jan 1;10(3):275–84.
McColskey, W., and M. R. Leary. “Differential effects of norm-referenced and self-referenced feedback on performance expectancies, attributions, and motivation.” Contemporary Educational Psychology, vol. 10, no. 3, Jan. 1985, pp. 275–84. Scopus, doi:10.1016/0361-476X(85)90024-4.
McColskey W, Leary MR. Differential effects of norm-referenced and self-referenced feedback on performance expectancies, attributions, and motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology. 1985 Jan 1;10(3):275–284.
Journal cover image

Published In

Contemporary Educational Psychology

DOI

EISSN

1090-2384

ISSN

0361-476X

Publication Date

January 1, 1985

Volume

10

Issue

3

Start / End Page

275 / 284

Related Subject Headings

  • Education
  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
  • 3904 Specialist studies in education
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1303 Specialist Studies in Education