State self-esteem Improvement Rating After Task 4 5 6 7 8 Enhancing feedback Improving feedback Aim: Compare enhancing feedback to improving feedback on satisfaction and perceived usefulness over time. Procedure: 60 Ps completed 4 different psychometric tests and received false feedback on abilities after each test. Feedback was either enhancing (always > 90%) or improving (59%, 68%, 81%, 92%). Measures: Ps reported satisfaction and usefulness of feedback at each time- point. Results: Feedback x Time x Scale: F(3,164) = 4.56** (Fig. 1). Over time, enhancing feedback became less satisfying and useful, whereas improving feedback became more satisfying. Self-enhancement is the motive to feel positive about the self, whereas self-improvement is the motive to better oneself. Feedback varying in valence and stability over time can provide information that satisfies these motives. The consequences of self-enhancing positive feedback for affect, cognition, and self-views are well-understood (Sedikides & Gregg, 2003). However, little is known about consequences of repeated feedback that follows different trajectories over time. In particular, no research has yet examined the effects of self-improving feedback; i.e., feedback that improves over time, against feedback that remains positive over time. Research Questions: • Will affective and cognitive judgements of feedback be more positive following self-enhancing or self-improving trajectories? • Does consistently positive feedback actually induce self-enhancement, and does improving feedback actually induce perceived improvement? Competing Hypotheses: • Self-enhancement perspective predicts that people will find consistently positive feedback the most satisfying and useful (Brett & Atwater, 2001). • Self-improvement perspective predicts that people will find feedback that improves over time the most satisfying and useful (Taylor, Neter, & Wayment, 1995). Fig 1. Study 1 satisfaction and usefulness trajectories * = simple effect of condition * / * = linear trend of time * p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001. Satisfaction 5 6 7 8 Time 1 2 3 4 Usefulness 4 5 6 7 *** *** *** ** ** ns *** • Consistently positive (enhancing) feedback began as most satisfying and useful but was perceived as less useful over the course of repeated feedback. Enhancing feedback was also less satisfying over time when it referred to different abilities (Study 1) but not when it referred to a single ability (Study 2). • Improving feedback was perceived as increasingly satisfying over time as feedback became more positive, but was not perceived as more useful. • In line with the self-enhancement perspective, affective perceptions of repeated feedback most reflect the relative positivity of that feedback. • In line with the self-improvement perspective, perceived usefulness of repeated feedback declines over time unless that feedback improves in valence. • Enhancing feedback resulted in higher state self-esteem after the task (indicating that it indeed fulfils the motive to self-enhance) but improving feedback resulted in higher perceived improvement in ability (indicating that it indeed fulfils the motive to self-improve). To Self-Enhance or to Self-Improve? Effects of Repeated Self-Relevant Feedback Erica Hepper Michelle Luke Constantine Sedikides Introduction   Centre for Research on Self and Identity Study 1 Study 2 Conclusions Contact: E.Hepper@soton.ac.uk Aim: Compare enhancing feedback to improving feedback about one ability on (a) ratings over time and (b) state self-esteem and perceived improvement. Procedure: 50 Ps completed 5 rounds of test of “integrative orientation” (Remote Associates Test) and received feedback after each round. Feedback was either enhancing or improving as in Study 1. Measures: (a) Satisfaction and usefulness of feedback at each time-point; (b) state self-esteem and perceived improvement in integrative orientation at end. Results: (a) Feedback x Time x Scale: F(3,164) = 4.56** (Fig. 2). Over time, enhancing feedback became less useful, whereas improving feedback became more satisfying. (b) Feedback x Scale: F(1,48) = 24.10*** (Fig. 3). Ps who received enhancing feedback reported higher state self- esteem, whereas Ps who received improving feedback reported higher perceived improvement. Fig 2. Study 2 satisfaction and usefulness trajectories Fig 3. Study 2 state self-esteem and perceived improvement after feedback Enhancing feedback Improving feedback Time 1 2 3 4 5 Usefulness 50 60 70 80 Satisfaction 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 *** ** * * *** *** ns ns * ** ISSI Self and Identity Preconference :: EAESP Meeting 2008, Opatija, Croatia