The Effects of Evaluative Feedback on Novel-Task Self-Efficacy and Future Performance

Abstract

There is a significant amount of research in the literature that has explored the effects of evaluative feedback on an individual’s self-efficacy and performance on a familiar task, yet there is little that has investigated the extent to which feedback can also impact these variables on novel tasks. Therefore, this study endeavored to shed light on this. To do this, a procedure was utilized in which participants with little to no experience with logical reasoning activities learned how to play Sudoku and attempted to correctly fill in as many beginner-level 6 X 6 puzzle spaces as they could in a specified amount of time and then, after receiving a type of feedback (positive, normative, negative), did this again. In order to assess self-efficacy, these participants were asked to complete the Self-Efficacy Distance Scale before their first attempt at the Sudoku puzzles and again after they received their respective feedback. No significant differences were found for any of the feedback groups on the variable of performance. However, it was discovered that the positive feedback group experienced significant increases in self-efficacy in comparison with the normative group and that the negative feedback group experienced significant decreases in self-efficacy in comparison with it. As a result of carrying out this study and attaining these results from it, it can be concluded that individuals can become more efficacious about their ability to perform a novel task if they are exposed to the task in an encouraging environment.