Hurlock's Study: Praise versus CriticismLearn Management Articles on management-info.biz. Hurlock's Study: Praise versus Criticism article will help answer your questions on Management Articles.We at management-info.biz specialize in Management Articles. Management Articles at management-info.biz provides the most up to date news and articles. If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
In this case the people studied were fourth and fifth grade students and the situation was how they performed in a math class. The variables introduced by the researchers were the type of feedback the students received after they took math exercises and quizzes. Dr. Elizabeth Hurlock wanted to know what reactions there would be when fourth and fifth grade students received different types of feedback on their math performance. She specifically wanted to know if it was more effective to praise, criticize, or ignore students' performance in math. And she wanted to know what would happen when students were subjected to each of those conditions. The outcome was to be decided by how many math problems each student had solved 2, 3, 4, and 5 days after receiving the different types of feedback. For her study Dr. Hurlock divided the students into four groups. In the first group students were identified by name and praised in front of other students for their good performance. Students in the second group were also identified by name in front of other students, but they were criticized for their poor performance. Students in the third group were completely ignored, although they were in the classroom to hear the other students being praised or criticized. A fourth or control group was moved to another room after the first test. Students in this group took the same tests, but they received no comments on their performance whatsoever. Now, here is what Dr. Hurlock learned. Students in the groups that were praised or criticized performed better after the first day. Then their performance changed dramatically. The students who were criticized showed a significant decline in their test scores, and by days 3 and 4, they were performing equally with students in the group that had been completely ignored. By contrast, the students who were praised experienced a major improvement after the second day that was sustained through the end of the study. By the fifth day of the study, the group that received praise showed much better performance than the other groups. Look at the accompanying graph to see the scores of the four groups. It's startling, isn't it? Wouldn't you think that the results of this study should be standard reading for every schoolteacher in America? Sounds like it, doesn't it? But there is just one problem. Dr. Hurlock's study was conducted in 1925, that's eighty years ago! Unfortunately, the study wasn't seen as important in 1925, and, therefore, hasn't changed much behavior in the classroom since. But the results are so convincing that I would like to draw a parallel to managing adults with praise, criticism or indifference. Some managers believe that giving positive reinforcement to employees is an indication of managerial weakness. So in an attempt to appear strong and in command of the situation, they become masters of inflicting emotional pain through criticism, sarcasm or indifference. Those three tactics are called the Three Pillars of Contempt, because the most common reaction to being subjected to them is to feel contempt toward the perpetrator.
With an effective management development program, school teachers and business leaders can discover that reinforcing positive performance with supportive feedback is far better than creating a contemptuous atmosphere with sarcasm, criticism or indifference. Like many things in managing others, how your employees perceive you is what really counts. Your intentions are nice and noteworthy, but they are actually irrelevant. As every psychology student learns, 'perception is reality.' And because it is reality we must be concerned with how we come across to others; in other words, how others see our behaviors is more important that our intentions. To do otherwise is to be foolish and ineffective.
As a manager you need to be aware of the power of positive feedback along with the dangers of trying to motivate others or change behavior with the use of criticism, sarcasm or indifference. Positive reinforcement has been proved by Hurlock's study and many other studies to be the best method of getting your point across to others. It is unfortunate that so many managers haven't been convinced of that fact. Watch your own style of giving feedback for the next few weeks. Monitor how much you offer praise as supportive feedback verses how often you lapse into the Pillars of Contempt. The first step in improvement is always awareness. Increase your awareness and then work to modify your style. |
More Articles:1. Well-Defined Processes – How to Create By Chris Anderson Interested in learning how to reduce development time, save money and stay in control? Business professionals can learn how to create well-defined processes with the easy-to-manage Process Approach of Plan-Do-Check-Act.Real Tools for Real Business ProcessIn MBA courses, students come across a lot of buzzwords and the theories behind them. And in the textbook, the terms look and sound great. But after they finish with their classes, they think to themselves: so now what I can I do with all of t… 2. Managers Need To Keep It Real By Scott Ginsberg I spent last Thursday hosting several staff training sessions at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. It was incredible! From the housekeepers to the bellman to the sales force, all employees at the property made it obvious why they're one of the most profitable Hyatts in the country.About halfway through one of the afternoon sessions, I noticed a man sitting in the front row. Literally, he was sitting IN the front row. The 6 foot 5, suit clad man casually kicked up his legs across a few cha… 3. The Howl --- Monthly Newsletter -- Issue #1 By Rick Johnson This is CEO Strategist’s initial publication of “The Howl” a monthly newsletter that will discuss relevant issues in wholesale distribution. It will include reader input, questions, comments and guest articles. Tips on best practices in wholesale distribution, sales management, leadership, and even some everyday stuff like tips on improving your golf game.This initial groundbreaking issue contains: Are Employees Really Your Most Precious Asset?What’s the Rave about RONA?Client Corner ---- Ques… 4. Training Options That Can Show Results and Save Money It seems that some people never want to go on a training course and others are constantly away at conferences, seminars and workshops. Having a rational approach to training and development can change a culture, retain staff and save money. If you start by being proactive and systematically identifying training and development needs rather than reacting to requests, it puts you in control. Once we have clearly identified what we want people to do after the training, we need to look at the most … |
||||
