Predictive Effects of Feedback Orientation on Academic Performance Among College Students

Abstract

How does monitoring one’s academic performance affect overall GPA? We conducted a study in which participants were asked how they respond to feedback in order to determine their feedback orientation (FBO), or receptivity to feedback. They were also asked how frequently they check their grades online in order to determine whether or not these variables affected their overall GPA. We found that students with high FBO were more likely to monitor their grades using an online learning management system, which in turn predicted a higher GPA. These findings are consistent with current theory about feedback-seeking behavior. However, we found that this positive relationship between monitoring grades and overall GPA was only significant for people with high combined SAT Verbal and Quantitative scores, which indicates high general mental ability (GMA). These results indicate the importance of high GMA in grade improvement strategies.