Date of Award
8-2007
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Alyce M. Dickinson
Second Advisor
Dr. Heather McGee
Third Advisor
Dr. John Austin
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Campus Only
Abstract
This study examined whether social comparison feedback would facilitate performance when individuals were receiving individual feedback and being paid monetary incentives. The design was a non-concurrent multiple baseline across participants design with a reversal. Participants were eight college students who performed a computerized data entry task that simulated the job of a bank proof operator. The main dependent variable was the number of correctly entered checks. All eight participants meaningfully increased their performance when social comparison feedback was added to individual feedback. During the reversal phase, three decreased their performance, four maintained their performance and one increased her performance. There differences may have been due to self goal-setting strategies. The results suggests that (a) social comparison feedback enhances the effects of individual feedback even when individuals are being paid incentives and (b) once social comparison feedback is given, it cannot be truly withidrawn.
Recommended Citation
Hwang, Hyeyeon, "The Effects of Individual and Social Comparison Feedback When Individuals Earn Monetary Incentive" (2007). Masters Theses. 3666.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/3666