Effect of Feedback on Creativity in Social Learning Contexts

Social learning enables learners to interact with one another, which is a critical way to foster creativity. Although online social networking technologies have been widely adopted, few empirical studies have been conducted to illustrate the effect of online social interactions on creativity in the context of learning. In this research-in-progress, we attempt to fill this gap by investigating how feedback from others in an online social learning context affects learners' creativity. Different from previous studies on the direct effect of feedback on creative performance, we go a step further to explore the underlying mechanism in an online social learning context and propose that feedback sign affects creative performance through the learners' perception of feedback accuracy and intrinsic motivation. Moreover, we examine the characteristics of feedback providers and recipients that influence learners' mental reactions to feedback sign. Our study is based on the stimulus-organism-response model and the feedback process model. A lab experiment will be used based on an online social learning platform. Undergraduate students will be recruited as participants.

[1]  Jing Zhou.  Feedback valence, feedback style, task autonomy, and achievement orientation: Interactive effects on creative performance. , 1998 .

[2]  D Biggs,et al.  Soft Systems Thinking and Social Learning for Adaptive Management , 2012, Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology.

[3]  A. Kluger,et al.  The effects of feedback interventions on performance: A historical review, a meta-analysis, and a preliminary feedback intervention theory. , 1996 .

[4]  T Hudson,et al.  There's no place like home. , 1996, Hospitals & health networks.

[5]  T. M. Amabile.  The social psychology of creativity: A componential conceptualization. , 1983 .

[6]  Frederik Anseel,et al.  The Mediating Role of Feedback Acceptance in the Relationship between Feedback and Attitudinal and Performance Outcomes , 2009 .

[7]  A. Kluger,et al.  Task type as a moderator of positive/negative feedback effects on motivation and performance: A regulatory focus perspective , 2011 .

[8]  G. R. Oldham,et al.  Employee Creativity: Personal and Contextual Factors at Work , 1996 .

[9]  Eric T. G. Wang,et al.  Understanding knowledge sharing in virtual communities: An integration of social capital and social cognitive theories , 2006, Decis. Support Syst..

[10]  Alison L. O’Malley,et al.  Don't Be Such a Downer: Using Positive Psychology to Enhance the Value of Negative Feedback , 2011 .

[11]  Jeffrey T. Child,et al.  Matching Creativity Perceptions and Capabilities: Exploring the Impact of Feedback Messages , 2013 .

[12]  Larry Ambrose,et al.  The power of feedback. , 2002, Healthcare executive.

[13]  Cesar C. Navarrete,et al.  Online social networks as formal learning environments: Learner experiences and activities , 2012 .

[14]  K. M. Bartol,et al.  Linking Empowering Leadership and Employee Creativity: The Influence of Psychological Empowerment, Intrinsic Motivation, and Creative Process Engagement , 2010 .

[15]  C. Shalley,et al.  A Little Creativity Goes a Long Way: An Examination of Teams’ Engagement in Creative Processes , 2004 .

[16]  Michael G. Pratt,et al.  There's No Place like Home? The Contributions of Work and Nonwork Creativity Support to Employees' Creative Performance , 2002 .

[17]  J. Valacich,et al.  Effects of anonymity and evaluative tone on idea generation in computer-mediated groups , 1990 .

[18]  Yuri Martens,et al.  Creative workplace: instrumental and symbolic support for creativity , 2011 .

[19]  R. Vallerand,et al.  On the causal effects of perceived competence on intrinsic motivation: A test of cognitive evaluation theory. , 1984 .

[20]  Schubert Foo,et al.  Information literacy education: Applications of mediated learning and multiple intelligences , 2008 .

[21]  J. Perry-Smith.  Social Yet Creative: The Role Of Social Relationships In Facilitating Individual Creativity , 2006 .

[22]  Philip M. Podsakoff,et al.  Effects of feedback sign and credibility on goal setting and task performance , 1989 .

[23]  John Baer,et al.  Gender Differences in Creativity , 2008 .

[24]  S. Thompson.  Social Learning Theory , 2008 .

[25]  M. Taylor,et al.  Consequences of individual feedback on behavior in organizations. , 1979 .

[26]  Y. Gong.  Employee learning orientation, transformational leadership, and employee creativity: the mediating role of employee creative self-efficacy , 2009 .

[27]  Avraham N. Kluger,et al.  Feedback Sign Effect on Motivation: Is it Moderated by Regulatory Focus? , 2004 .

[28]  R. Weisberg.  Creativity and knowledge: A challenge to theories. , 1998 .

[29]  Catherine L. Wang,et al.  A Review of the Concept of Organisational Learning , 2002 .

[30]  Hal G. Gueutal,et al.  The effects of feedback sequence and expertise of the rater on perceived feedback accuracy. , 1984 .

[31]  Monica J. Garfield,et al.  Modifying Paradigms: Individual Differences, Creativity Techniques and Exposure to Ideas in Group Idea Generation , 2000, Inf. Syst. Res..

[32]  D. Ilgen,et al.  Bearing Bad News: Reactions to Negative Performance Feedback , 2000 .

[33]  Gerald Häubl,et al.  When Social Media Can Be Bad for You: Community Feedback Stifles Consumer Creativity and Reduces Satisfaction with Self-Designed Products , 2013, Inf. Syst. Res..

[34]  E. Lichtenstein.  Social learning. , 1977, NIDA research monograph.

[35]  C. McBride-Chang,et al.  Age Differences in Creativity: Task Structure and Knowledge Base , 2005 .

[36]  C. Shalley,et al.  The Effects of Personal and Contextual Characteristics on Creativity: Where Should We Go from Here? , 2004 .

[37]  W. Sauser,et al.  Creativity and Certain Personality Traits: Understanding the Mediating Effect of Intrinsic Motivation , 2008 .

[38]  Gregory E. Prussia,et al.  A covariance structure analysis of employees' response to performance feedback. , 2004, The Journal of applied psychology.

[39]  Anna Craft,et al.  An analysis of research and literature on CREATIVITY IN EDUCATION , 2003 .

[40]  Edward L. Deci,et al.  Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior , 1975, Perspectives in Social Psychology.

[41]  C. Shalley,et al.  Effects of social-psychological factors on creative performance: the role of informational and controlling expected evaluation and modeling experience. , 2001, Organizational behavior and human decision processes.

[42]  P. Ditto,et al.  Perceived Accuracy of Favorable and Unfavorable Psychological Feedback , 1995 .

[43]  J. van den Ende,et al.  The Organizational Life of an Idea: Integrating Social Network, Creativity and Decision-Making Perspectives , 2007 .

[44]  Edwin A. Locke,et al.  Benefiting from negative feedback , 2003 .

[45]  Jin Nam Choi,et al.  Film Awards as Indicators of Cinematic Creativity and Achievement: A Quantitative Comparison of the Oscars and Six Alternatives , 2004 .