Effect of simulated social feedback on individual tracking performance

Abstract

INDIVIDUAL TRACKING PERFORMANCE WAS EXAMINED UNDER CONDITIONS OF SIMULATED SOCIAL FEEDBACK. EACH OF 60 SS WAS TOLD HE HAD A PARTNER AND THAT POSTTRIAL FEEDBACK REPRESENTED THEIR TEAM PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO AVERAGE TRACKING ABILITY. ACTUALLY, S'S FEEDBACK REPRESENTED HIS INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO A LENIENT, MODERATE, OR STRINGENT CRITERION. THESE CRITERIA SIMULATED PARTNERS OF VARYING ABILITY. SS BLAMED THEIR CONTRIVED PARTNERS FOR POOR SCORES RECEIVED UNDER THE STRINGENT CRITERION. PERFORMANCE OF GOOD TRACKERS WAS NOT AFFECTED BY CRITERION DIFFICULTY, BUT POOR TRACKERS PERFORMED BEST UNDER THE MODERATE CRITERION. THE INHIBITORY INFLUENCE OF THE STRINGENT CRITERION WAS MAGNIFIED DURING A TERMINAL EXTINCTION SESSION. THE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT CRITERION DIFFICULTY IS AN IMPORTANT DETERMINANT OF PERFORMANCE IN TEAM AND PERHAPS INDIVIDUAL TASKS. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)