Reciprocity in peer evaluation
Third party funded individual grant
Start date : 01.01.2018
End date : 31.10.2018
Project details
Short description
In a laboratory experiment, we have investigated the extent to which reciprocity plays a role in the peer feedback process and what influence result dependency has in the form of feedback-dependent rewards. The results confirmed the assumption that people base their feedback on the feedback they had previously received themselves: The subjects in the condition with negative feedback gave more negative feedback than those in the condition with positive feedback.
Scientific Abstract
Feedback is an integral part of business practice. In the context of flat hierarchies and project-based work, the importance of peer feedback, i.e. feedback among colleagues, is increasing. Informal peer feedback is seen as an important source of learning for employees. Giving and receiving feedback is a specific form of communication in which relationship-dynamic processes are relevant. The question here is to what extent the feedback is influenced by factors that are not directly related to the performance rendered. So far, there is little research on possible distortions in the process of mutual performance feedback. In the Peer Feedback project, we investigate a number of factors that can lead to distortions in the mutual feedback process.
In a laboratory experiment (N = 187), we have investigated the extent to which reciprocity plays a role in the peer feedback process and what influence result dependence has here in the form of feedback-dependent rewards. The results confirmed the assumption that people base their feedback on the feedback received: The subjects in the condition with negative feedback gave more negative feedback than those in the condition with positive feedback. Furthermore, the effect of the received feedback on the given feedback was stronger if there was a high dependency on results and the person assumed that he or she had a fixed feedback partner. This result can be interpreted as an indication of reciprocity (in the positive condition) and retaliation (negative condition).
