Few studies have investigated the influence of absolute standing feedback (information about one’s performance, such as a test score out of 100) and relative standing feedback (information about one’s performance relative to others, such as percentile ranks on tests) on affective and self-evaluative responses (Klein, 1997, 2003; Moore and Klein, 2008). Additionally, the available studies delivered contrasting results. This prompted Zhao (2021) to address this gap and investigate the differential impact of absolute and relative standing feedback on students’ self-evaluation, affect, and behavior.
Zhao conducted three experiments that compared the effects of absolute standing feedback and relative standing feedback on individuals’ responses. Experiment 1 comprised 70 undergraduate students randomly assigned to one of four conditions: absolute standing feedback (four vs. eight out of 12 correct) and relative standing feedback (30th vs. 70th percentile). The participants completed a non-timed math test from practice ACTs and received fictitious feedback on their performance depending on the condition they were given. Afterwards, the students completed a series of outcome measures: positive and negative affect, satisfaction with their performance, and prediction of future performance based on their absolute score or percentile rank.
Additionally, Experiments 2 and 3 had the same procedure and materials as Experiment 1 with minor changes to the number of math problems and scores in absolute feedback. Zhao also included a measure of belongingness in math (Experiment 2) and a different measure for prediction of future performance (Experiment 3).
Across all three experiments, Zhao concluded that absolute standing feedback showed consistent and strong positive effects on affect and satisfaction with performance. The participants who received higher absolute scores showed greater positive affect, and/or lower negative affect, and greater satisfaction with their performance compared to those who received lower scores. Moreover, absolute standing feedback influenced participant’s feelings of belongingness in math; participants who received a score of 6 rather than 2, reported a stronger sense of belonging. In contrast, relative standing feedback demonstrated smaller effects on affect and satisfaction with performance in Experiment 1, and there were no effects in Experiments 2 and 3.
The results on the prediction of future performance supported Zhao’s hypothesis: absolute feedback influenced the prediction of raw score and relative feedback affected the prediction of their percentile rank. Assessing the results together, absolute standing feedback was found to be more influential than relative standing feedback. Zhao’s (2021) study provides insights for educators and EPIC researchers. To sustain students’ motivation when they face challenges, educators can provide absolute feedback scores on an assignment, as the students will have a better understanding of their abilities and feel more motivated for future academic studies. In the future, EPIC can investigate the effects of absolute and relative standing feedback on one’s persistence and motivation after facing a setback in a class setting.
If you want to learn more about Zhao’s (2021) study, check it out at:
This post is written by Eliza Hong.
References:
Moore, D. A., & Klein, W. M. P. (2008). Use of absolute and comparative performance feedback in absolute and comparative judgments and decisions. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 107(1), 60–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2008.02.005
Zhao, Q. (2022). Absolute standing feedback is more influential than relative standing feedback. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(4), 701. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352732182_Absolute_standing_feedback_is_more_influential_than_relative_standing_feedback
