| Efficacy-Performance Patterns in Response to Unambiguous Performance Feedback |
| | Audia, Giuseppe | London Business School | gaudia@lbs.ac.uk | (44)-171-262-5050 |
| | This research explores whether and how individuals differ in the way they form their efficacy beliefs
in response to unambiguous performance outcomes over time and the consequences of such
differences on their adaptability. A laboratory study in which individuals performed a dynamic strategic
decision making task showed that: 1) most individuals maintained repeatedly their efficacy beliefs
above previous attainments, i. e. they tended to be overconfident; 2) most individuals responded to
consecutive changes in performance with consecutive changes in efficacy of the same sign thus
giving rise to deviation-amplifying patterns; 3) overconfidence patterns decreased persistence with task
strategies that were no longer working and reduced losses after the task underwent substantial changes.
Theoretical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. |
| | Keywords: Self-efficacy; Feedback; Adaptability |
| When Are High Performers More or Less Likely to Turnover? A Mediated Test of the Performance-Turnover Relationship |
| | Allen, David G. | U. of Memphis | dgallen@memphis.edu | (901)-678-4729 |
| | Griffeth, Rodger W. | Georgia State U. | mgtrwg@langate.gsu.edu | (404)-651-2864 |
| | Fink, Laurence | U. of Toledo | lfink@toledo.edu | (419)-993-1614 |
| | Despite the importance of understanding the conditions under which high performing employees are more or less likely to voluntarily leave an organization, the nature of the relationship between job performance and voluntary turnover has proven to be elusive. At least two important shortcomings of theory and research in this area to date are noted: the lack of tests of a mediated model of the performance-turnover relationship despite the fact that most contemporary turnover theories view voluntary turnover as a process with mediating relationships; and the lack of attention paid to the potentially important moderating variable of visibility or observability of performance. Thus, a model of the performance-turnover relationship is proposed and tested which highlights the important mediating roles of the availability of alternative employment opportunities and job satisfaction, as well as the important moderating roles of visibility and the nature of the reward system. The model is evaluated using structural equation modeling multi-group analysis. The results provide some support for the model and hypotheses, and directions for future development of these ideas are discussed. |
| | Keywords: Turnover; Performance |
| The Effects of Humor on Individual and Group Task Performance |
| | Filipowicz, Allan | Harvard Business School | afilipowicz@hbs.edu | (617)-495-6122 |
| | This study assessed the effects of humorous stimuli on individual and group task performance. Subjects were exposed to
humorous or neutral videos, and then asked to perform a divergent task (multiple correct answers) which included both cognitive
and behavioral components. Each subject worked both alone and in a mixed gender dyad. Individual males performed significantly
better in the humor condition than in the neutral condition. Individual female performance did not differ across the treatment conditions,
and the effects of humor on group task performance fell almost exactly between its effects on male and female individual task
performances. Males reacted both cognitively and affectively to humor. Females seemed to respond only cognitively.
A theory of humor as a multifaceted reaction is proposed to explain these results and integrate contradictory findings in the literature.
The theory also defines the conditions under which humor helps or hinders task performance. |
| | Keywords: Humor; Task performance; Gender |
| A Feedback Seeking, Social Cognitive, and Goal Setting Model of Work Quality and Quantity |
| | Renn, Robert W. | U. of Memphis | rrenn@memphis.edu | (901)-678-2886 |
| | Fedor, Donald B. | Georgia Institute of Technology | donald.fedor@mgt.gatech.edu | 404-894-4925 |
| | Barksdale, W. Kevin | U. of Memphis | kbarksdale@earthlink.net | (901)-365-9700 |
| | This study examined the relationship among a set of feedback seeking,
social cognitive, and goal setting constructs and the work quality and
quantity of one hundred thirty six sales and customer-service representatives.
As hypothesized, feedback-based goal setting mediated the relationship
between self-efficacy and feedback seeking and work quality and quantity.
Self-efficacy and feedback seeking also mediated the influence of two individual
differences (i.e., personal control perceptions and external feedback propensity)
on work quality and quantity. We discuss the implications the findings have
for future research and for managing quality programs in organizations. |
| | Keywords: Goals; Feedback; Quality |
| Effects of Multiple Sources of Motivation on Task Performance |
| | Scully, Judith A. | U. of Florida | scullyja@dale.cba.ufl.edu | (352)-392-0163 |
| | Brownlee, Amy L. | U. of Florida | brownlal@chip.cba.ufl.edu | (352)-392-0163 |
| | Brtek, Mary D. | U. of Florida | brtekmd@chip.cba.ufl.edu | (352)-392-0163 |
| | Tosi, Henry L. | U. of Florida | tosi@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu | (352)-392-0163 |
| | Performance on any task is likely affected by numerous sources of motivation as well as ability
level. However, much research has focussed on the effects of one motivational source at a time. We
examine the effects of assigned goals, self-set goals, incentives, intrinsic motivation and ability on
performance of a complex task. Our findings indicate that self-set goals, intrinsic motivation and ability
but not assigned goals directly affect task performance. Additionally, we find that intrinsic
motivation, assigned goals and self-efficacy indirectly affect task performance through self-set goals. |
| | Keywords: motivation; task; performance |