Individual differences in response to unfavorable group feedback

The purpose of this study was to examine how individual differences in repression—sensitization moderate the effects of negative feedback in task groups. Seventy-eight research participants, organized into 26 simulated task groups, were asked to work as a team on a series of anagram problems. Participants received either unfavorable individual or team feedback concerning performance. It was predicted that the direct threat associated with individual feedback would increase defensiveness among repressors. This hypothesis was supported; that is, repressors, in comparison to sensitizers, denied the group task as a measure of ability and effort and reported lower attraction to the task and group. It was predicted further that the indirect threat of team level feedback would increase defensiveness among sensitizers. This hypothesis was also supported. Here sensitizers, in comparison to repressors, denied the task as a measure of ability and effort and indicated lower attraction to the task and group. Additional analyses of covariance revealed that the cognitive processes associated with self-attributions (i.e., ability and effort) mediated the reports of task and group attraction. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings and directions for future study are also discussed.