Why Do Supervisors Avoid Giving Subordinates Feedback?

Megan R. Huss

Date of Graduation

Spring 2006

Degree

Master of Science in Psychology

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Robert Jones

Abstract

This study explored potential reasons that managers may avoid giving their subordinates feedback. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions; no intervention (control group), attribution training only, self efficacy bolstering only, and attribution training and self efficacy bolstering group. Participants were 124 Missouri State University undergraduate students. Participants in each condition read a scenario about the performance of a student-teacher, and then filled out a 10-iten questionnaire about feedback avoidance. Results indicated that neither attribution training nor self-efficacy bolstering had a significant effect on feedback avoidance in this study. The discussion focuses on limitations of the study and future directions for research in this area.

Keywords

attribution training, avoidance, feedback, performance, self-efficacy

Subject Categories

Psychology

Copyright

© Megan R. Huss

Citation-only

Dissertation/Thesis

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