| Abstract: | Examined the effects of knowledge of results (KR) and assigned goals on arithmetic computation. 100 female university students either received or did not receive explicit KR while under an easy or challenging goal assignment. 50 controls received neither KR nor goal assignment. Ss receiving KR under challenging goal assignments significantly increased their computational speed at no apparent cost in accuracy. These findings are congruent with the findings of M. Erez (1977). With the minimizing of implicit KR in the no-KR groups in the present study, challenging goal assignment in itself had no noticeable effect on computational speed and led to a significant increase in errors. It is suggested that feedback may be a necessary complement to assigned goals in facilitating performance. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
