Factors influencing feedback receptivity

Current methods in assessing a person’s receptivity to feedback are inherently biased. First, these methods are founded upon differing assumptions about feedback availability. Feedback seeking, operationalized as effort toward acquiring feedback, assumes feedback must be actively sought, also thus assumes feedback is not imminent. Feedback avoidance, operationalized as effort toward delaying or avoid receipt of feedback, assumes feedback must be actively avoided, and thus also assumes feedback is imminent. Second, implicit in the methods’ definitions of effort toward or away from feedback is the assumption that feedback receptivity results from a motivated state rather than being influenced by default feedback availability. This research provides a more comprehensive account of feedback receptivity by systematically varying both motivations and feedback availability and examining their relative effects on receptivity. The data supported the influence of motivated factors on receptivity but failed to support the influence of defaulted feedback availability on receptivity. Further, coping resources, perceived utility, and perceived feedback recommendation influenced receptivity. These results may help managers leverage this knowledge to maximize feedback receptivity behaviors in the workplace