Determining the Effects of Basic Feedback and Directive Feedback Environments on Task Productivity, Accuracy, Perceived Stress, Control and Demand under Forced Choice and Mixed Choice Progressive Ratio Schedules of Reinforcement

Abstract

Performance feedback may serve as one or more types of stimulation in the behavioral contingency. In organizational settings, leaders, managers, and workers benefit from well-designed behavior control systems. These systems may contribute at differing levels of efficacy towards maximizing measures of productivity, accuracy, and problem-solving behavior through individual and group environmental intervention using performance feedback. An important challenge in designing effective feedback is to capture its impact on productivity while simultaneously promoting well-being. In this study two styles of feedback environments, labeled basic feedback and directive feedback, were investigated using a counterbalanced reversal design. Independent variables included feedback type which was presented over forced choice and mixed-choice conditions under a progressive ratio schedule. Dependent variables included task productivity and accuracy, monetary earnings, and self-reported social validity on perceived control, stress, and demand. The data demonstrate higher levels of accuracy associated with directive feedback when compared to basic feedback conditions. Moreover, the results indicate perceived control in the context of an increasing ratio schedule to be higher in the directive feedback compared to the basic feedback condition. Further, examples of increased productivity during mixed-choice phases was found despite lower accuracy and lower perceived control when compared to the directive feedback environments.