Relationships among feedback sign, self-efficacy, and acceptance of performance feedback.

The researchers investigated the moderating role of self-efficacy on feedback acceptance. High-self-efficacy individuals who received repeated negative performance feedback exhibited decreased acceptance of the feedback, whereas those with low self-efficacy did not change in their acceptance. Feedback sign and feedback acceptance also had interactive effects on future self-efficacy. Those with high acceptance of positive and negative feedback after repeated trials exhibited self-efficacy levels consistent with that feedback. An important concern for organizations today is how to keep pace with the rapid changes occurring in the workplace. As organizations become increasingly competitive, many employees are faced with the necessity of learning new skills and technologies, a process that may involve repeated attempts before mastery occurs. This process can be demanding and frustrating, particularly for those employees whose early attempts at mastery are unsuccessful and who thus receive repeated negative feedback on their performance. Research indicates that individuals generally respond to negative feedback by increasing their effort, decreasing their goals, or rejecting the feedback, whereas those faced with positive feedback may decrease their effort or increase their goals (Bandura & Cervone, 1986; Bandura & Jourden, 1991; Locke & Latham, 1990; Podsakoff & Farh, 1989). This may not always be the case, however. Although individuals typically respond to initial negative feedback by increasing their efforts, different coping mechanisms may be used when negative feedback is repeated (Campion & Lord, 1982; Mikulincer, 1988, 1989). Because workers must often face repeated negative feedback in the course of