Confidence drives feedback-seeking behavior: Insights into learning and motivation

The article, "Decisions to Seek Cognitive Performance Feedback: Potential Determinants of Feedback Value and Consequences for Learning," was published in the November 2024 issue of Learning and Motivation. Additional authors included Mauricio R. Delgado, PhD, and Elizabeth Tricomi, PhD, of Rutgers University and Da'Quallon Smith of London School of Economics.

In the study conducted at Rutgers University, 59 participants performed a memory task that required them to decide whether to pay for feedback while learning word pairs they were later tested on. Participants earned money that was contingent on their performance during the test phase. So, they had to decide whether the cost of feedback during the learning phase was worth the increased chance of performing better during the test phase and earning more money.

The results showed that participants were more likely to purchase feedback when they were uncertain about their learning accuracy. Additionally, negative feedback (i.e., corrective feedback after an incorrect response) improved test performance by promoting learning. Emotional responses and physiological arousal, measured through skin conductance, were not significant predictors of feedback-seeking behavior, suggesting that these factors may not play as large of a role in shaping decisions to seek performance feedback.

"Our findings suggest that lack of confidence in one's performance plays a pivotal role in determining the value of feedback information to an individual," said Dr. Cagna, postdoctoral fellow in the Foundation'sCenter for Traumatic Brain Injury Research. "Negative feedback can be difficult to accept, but it often provides the most valuable learning opportunities. Teaching people to embrace feedback -- even when it's critical -- could greatly enhance learning outcomes in many fields."

The research emphasized that the informational value of feedback often outweighs the emotional discomfort of being wrong, particularly when tied to a clear incentive, such as monetary rewards. "These insights have practical applications in education, the workplace, and rehabilitation settings, where feedback-seeking behavior is essential for success," Dr. Cagna concluded.

Funding: This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (Grant #DA027764), the National Science Foundation (Grant #BCS1756065), and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (Grant #MB-2107-38097).