Sex and Age Differences in Response to Informational and Controlling Feedback

Kast, Audrey; Connor, Kathleen

doi:10.1177/0146167288143010

Cited by 55Motivation and Self-Concept in SportsEducation, Achievement, and GiftednessPsychological Testing and Assessment

Sex and Age Differences in Response to Informational and Controlling Feedback

Kast, Audrey, Connor, Kathleen·1988·Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

DOI 10.1177/0146167288143010

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Abstract

This study examined two issues ensuing from cognitive evaluation theory (Deci, 1975; Deci & Ryan, 1980, 1985), through the manipulation of positive feedback to third, fifth, and eighth grade children. Analysis of self-reported interest revealed that, as predicted, controlling feedback significantly lowered interest relative to informational -and no-feedback groups. The hypothesis that informational feedback would raise interest levels relative to the no-feedback group was not supported, perhaps due to a ceiling effect. These results replicate and extend previous findings with adults to children in a classroom context. A mixed-feedback condition, containing components of both information and control, yielded sex differences. As predicted, in the mixed condition, females reported interest levels significantly lower than those reported by males in that condition and by females in the informational -and no-feedback conditions. Although interest declined across grade level, the decline was greatest in the mixed condition, between fifth and eighth grades.

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After excluding 3 outliers (Butler, 1987; Kast & Connor, 1988; Vallerand, 1983), the 21 homogeneous verbal-reward self-report effects showed significant enhancement, d = 0.31 (CI = 0.19, 0.44).
“d = 0.31 (CI = 0.19, 0.44)”
From A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. (1999) · cites this paper as Kast & Connor, 1988

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Authors: Kast, A., & Connor, K.
Affiliations: University of Wisconsin System (US)
Concord College
Venue: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 1988-09
Volume: 14
Issue: 3
Pages: 514-523
ISSN: 0146-1672 (ISSN-L)
1552-7433
DOI: 10.1177/0146167288143010
OpenAlex: W1988097380
Cited by: 55
References: 22
Citations by year: 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2012: 3
FWCI: 1.31
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Psychological Testing and Assessment
Keywords: cognitive evaluation theory, positive feedback, information feedback, interest, sex differences, age differences, children, classroom motivation, intrinsic motivation

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Sex and Age Differences in Response to Informational and Controlling Feedback

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