Doctoral Dissertations

Terri L. Lyon

Date of Award

5-1989

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Major Professor

John M. Larsen

Committee Members

Joyce E. A. Russell, Michael L. Rush, Ralph O'Brien

Abstract

Training in organizations is an ongoing activity that often consumes a large portion of the organizational budget. However, research in the area of training is sparse, particularly in areas such as determining the methods that will maximize learning in training programs. Recent research has focused in the area of trainee motivation-to-learn and how this variable is related to satisfaction with and learning in training. The present study was conducted to determine the effect of providing feedback of needs assessment information on individuals' motivation-to-learn prior to training. Individuals who were to receive feedback from a needs assessment prior to training were postulated to report higher motivation-to-learn than were individuals who were not to receive feedback from a needs assessment. Individuals who received feedback from a needs assessment prior to training were postulated to have higher posttest training scores than were individuals who did not receive feedback from a needs assessment. To examine more specifically how reactions to feedback impact motivation-to-learn, motivation-to-learn prior to training was examined as it was impacted by cognitive mechanisms underlying reaction to feedback such as self-satisfaction with performance, self-perceived task competence, self-set goals, and perceived accuracy of feedback. Data were collected from supervisors who attended a policies and procedures training program. One group was given feedback from needs assessment, consisting of a knowledge pretest, while another group completed the pretest but did not receive feedback. Measures of perceived accuracy of feedback, self-perceived task competence, self-satisfaction, self-set goals for future performance, and motivation-to-learn were collected from the group who received feedback. A posttest measure of knowledge was collected from both groups.

The results showed that individuals who received feedback from needs assessment had higher posttest assessment scores than did those who did not receive needs assessment feedback. Also, individuals who received feedback from needs assessment reported higher initial motivation-to-learn than did those who did not receive needs assessment feedback.

For individuals who received feedback that actual performance was less than expected performance, the closer actual performance was to expected performance, the more feedback was perceived as accurate. Individuals attended to feedback information and changed their self-perceived task competence in logical ways. Individuals who received feedback that actual performance was lower than expected performance lowered their self-perceived task competence while individuals who received feedback that actual performance was higher than expected performance raised their self-perceived task competence. If actual performance was lower than expected performance, individuals were dissatisfied with performance. In terms of motivation-to-learn, individuals who were dissatisfied with the thought of performing the same on the posttest as they did on the pretest reported higher motivation-to-learn than those who were not dissatisfied. Individuals who tended to have internal locus of control set higher goals, had higher self-perceived task competence, but did not show less self-satisfaction with performance than did those individuals who tended to be externals.

It was concluded that feedback from needs assessment information is useful to the extent that participants score higher on a posttest assessment than did individuals who did not receive feedback from skills assessment. Although it was speculated that motivation-to-learn would increase after feedback, average expressed motivation-to-learn was not significantly different after feedback regardless of the difference between participants' actual performance and expected performance. And regardless of the level of motivation-to-learn after feedback, posttest scores were higher for the feedback group than for the no feedback group: there was no relationship between motivation-to-learn and posttest performance in the present study.

More research is recommended in the area of motivation-to-learn, specifically on how motivation-to-learn relates to performance in training and to posttest assessment performance. In future research the variables that impact motivation-to-learn at different times prior to and during training should be examined. Laboratory research would be useful to isolate the variables that impact motivation-to-learn and to determine whether and how motivation-to-learn is related to increased performance in training.

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