Credibility and desirability of positive and negative structured feedback in groups

Variations in Group Process Due to Valence, Response Mode, and Directness of Feedback

Differences in group cohesion, trust, attraction, and perceptions of feedback were evaluated due to interpersonal feedback which varied in valence, response mode, and directness. Seventy-two undergraduates were randomly assigned to groups of eight subjects each to meet once for a two-hour session. Groups com pleted exercises designed to build intimacy for one hour, and then groups were randomly assigned to exchange interpersonal feedback which varied in the following ways: (1) positive valence, verbal feedback; (2) positive valence, fantas ized or nonverbal feedback; (3) negative valence, verbal feedback; or (4) negative feedback, nonverbal feedback. In addition, feedback varied within each group as to whether it was advice, interpretive, behavioral, or emotional in response mode with two subjects in each group delivering each type of feedback. Results indi cated that while response mode did not effect feedback ratings or cohesion ratings, the valence of the feedback effected each measure. In addition, fantasiz ing feedback can heighten effects of the feedback on trust, leading to greater trust for positive feedback and less trust with fantasizing negative feedback.

Effect of Valence and Structure of Feedback on Reception in Personal Growth Groups

60 college students participated in a one-time personal growth group experience. Subjects were assigned to one of eight groups. Groups participated in three exercises to promote interpersonal contact. Feedback sessions followed for all groups. Two groups generated and exchanged positive feedback and two groups generated and exchanged negative feedback among group members. Lists of statements (positive or negative) were used as feedback in the other four groups. Major factors were valence, structure, and replication Positive feedback was more credible, desirable, and influential than negative feedback as rated by recipients and donors. Exchanging positive information appears more easily achieved in short-term groups than is negative information, and apparently whether information is invented or selected from lists is not crucial. Group cohesiveness and personality change apparently ate not differentially influenced by main variables. Results are discussed in terms of implications for research.

Feedback in Group Psychotherapy Review and Implications

Interpersonalfeedback is an important component of most group therapy approaches. This review identifies feedback as a multidimensional rather than a unidimensional construct. The feedback literature is reviewed in terms of acceptance offeedback, effects of receiving feedback, willingness to deliver feedback, and therapeutic effects of delivering feedback. Implications for practice and research are reviewed.

The Training and Validation of Behavior Observation and Description Skills

Teaching critical treatment-related skills to behavior change agents is an important task. One such treatment-related skill would seem to be the ability to observe and specifically describe ongoing appropriate and inappropriate behaviors. In this study, the effectiveness of a training "package" in teaching behavior specificity was demonstrated in two experiments. The package involved written instructions, practice in describing videotaped interactions, skill rehearsals, and detailed positive and corrective feedback. Multiple baseline designs were employed to experimentally,evaluate the effects of training on objective measures designed to reflect the degree of behavioral specificity of trainee descriptions. These objective measures were subsequently found to correlate highly with subjective ratings of the descriptions by child care workers and professional training and research personnel, thus providing evidence of the validity of the objective measures. The research suggests that important behavioral treatment skills can be identified, measured, trained, and validated.

Analysis of Group Composition Research and Theory for Psychotherapeutic and Growth-Oriented Groups

The research on group composition for psychotherapeutic and growthoriented groups is reviewed and analyzed. The survey of the literature consists of a sampling of clinical observations and reports and a review of premature termination studies, group-therapy process studies, and laboratory group research. The social microcosm, dissonance, cohesion, and supportplus-confrontation models of group composition are presented and evaluated. Lastly, the findings and their implications for the composition of groups are discussed.

The acceptability of behavioral and emotional feedback depending upon valence and structure in personal growth groups

Forty-eight students participated in a one-time personal growth group. Subjects were assigned to one of eight groups. Exercises were conducted to promote interpersonal contact, followed by feedback sessions. Four groups generated and exchanged feedback among group members. Statement lists were used as feedback in remaining groups. Within each set, one group delivered positive-behavioral; one, positive-emotional; one, negative-behavioral; and one, negative-emotional feedback. Positive feedback was more credible, desirable, and influential for recipients and donors; positive-behavioral feedback in particular was more credible. Donors rated unstructured feedback as more credible than structured feedback, with negative-structured feedback the least credible with donors and recipients. Findings are discussed in terms of research and application.