1. On the Effects of Immediate Feedback Ido Erev, Adi Luria & Annan Erev Technion Israeli Institute of Technology The Max-Wertheimer Minerva Center for Cognitive Processes and Human Performance

2. Past research on Immediate feedback has yielded mixed results. In general: Field Studies show positive effects for immediate feedback Controlled laboratory experiments show negative effects of immediate feedback Immediate Feedback: Good or Bad? Background

3. Theoretical Propositions The present study suggests that immediate feedback has 2 main effects: 1. A negative Guidance effect - over reliance on recent feedback 2. A positive Association effect- better understanding of the relationship between outcomes & causes

4. Theoretical Propositions It is suggested that past laboratory research used strictly controlled paradigms which controlled out positive effects - guidance may be less robust than previously thought

5. Hypotheses A minimal modification of the classic guidance paradigm may be sufficient to reverse the original pattern In multi-task situations, immediate feedback will lead to better performance than delayed feedback

6. Basic task: Basic Feedback: Start Green: 0.75 sec Ready? Error in seconds The subjects task was to respond to the stimulus with two presses on the enter key, such that the interval between the two presses would be (as close as possible to) 750 milliseconds. In the immediate feedback condition, subjects were shown the performance graph after every trial; in the delayed feedback condition, subjects received performance feedback (for every trial) at the end of each 15-trial block. Method

7. Task: response to 1 colored stimulus Conditions: 1) Immediate Fdbk 2) Delayed Fdbk Method: 1) Practice with Fdbk 2) 10-min Retention (no Fdbk.) 3) 2-day Retention (no Fdbk.) Study 1 – Basic Task 1 Color, 1 Reaction time Replication of Guidance Paradigm

8. Immediate feedback improved practice performance but harmed retention/transfer performance Mean Abs. Error (ms) Practice with feedback 10-min no feedback 2-day no feedback Study 1 – Results Replication of Guidance Effect

9. Task: response to 4 colors, each with its own reaction time (4 reaction times) Conditions: same Method: same Study 2 – Modified Task 4 Colors, 4 Reaction times Reversing the Guidance Effect

10. In 4-color paradigm, immediate feedback improves practice performance AS WELL AS transfer/retention performance Mean Abs. Error (ms) Practice with feedback 10-min no feedback 2-day no feedback Study 2 – Results Reversing the Guidance Effect

11. Explaining the Results: Increase in number of possible responses has 2 effects: 1) Reduces effectiveness of best response to last (i.e. reduces guidance) 2) Increases the need for association inherent in immediate feedback An increase in the number of possible responses gave immediate feedback an advantage over delayed

12. Conclusions Dominance of guidance effects may be less robust than previously thought One way to counter negative guidance effects may be to increase number of possible responses. Relationship to emphasis change training (Gopher et al., 1989): Variability leads to more effective learning.