Summary: People routinely underestimate how much others want constructive feedback, and this misjudgment often prevents useful guidance that could improve performance and prevent avoidable mistakes.
Source: APA
New research published by the American Psychological Association finds that people consistently misjudge others’ desire for constructive feedback and therefore withhold it, even when that feedback could immediately improve performance or prevent embarrassment.
“People often have opportunities to provide others with constructive feedback that could be immediately helpful, whether that’s letting someone know of a typo in their presentation before a client meeting, or telling a job candidate about a stained shirt before an interview,” said lead author Nicole Abi-Esber, a doctoral candidate at Harvard Business School.
The researchers point out that constructive feedback plays a central role in learning and improvement. Despite widespread self-reports that people want constructive feedback, those who could provide it frequently choose not to. In one pilot study, for example, only 2.6% of participants told a tester about a visible smudge on the tester’s face—such as chocolate, lipstick, or marker—during a survey interaction.
Previous studies have suggested that fear of causing embarrassment or damaging a relationship leads people to avoid delivering corrective feedback. Abi-Esber and her colleagues propose an additional explanation: givers often fail to fully appreciate how helpful their input would be, and therefore underestimate the recipient’s desire to receive it. If people do not recognize the potential benefit of their feedback, they are less likely to offer it.
To examine this hypothesis, the team conducted five experiments involving a total of 1,984 participants. The studies used multiple designs to capture both hypothetical and real-world scenarios. In one experiment, participants evaluated ten awkward workplace situations in which they could imagine giving or receiving constructive comments. Another asked people to recall a specific instance where feedback could have been given or received. In the final experiment, pairs of participants rehearsed a speech while the other person listened and was tasked with providing feedback.
Across all experiments, those in the position to give feedback consistently underestimated how much the other person wanted it. The discrepancy was especially pronounced for high-stakes or consequential feedback—instances where the information could substantially affect performance, such as improving presentation skills or correcting a major error. In contrast, the gap was smaller for low-stakes issues, like food on someone’s face or a small tear in clothing, where givers were somewhat more accurate about the recipient’s likely desire for correction.
A notable and practical finding was that a brief perspective-taking intervention narrowed the giver–receiver gap. Asking someone to reflect briefly—“If you were this person, would you want feedback?”—helped them recognize the value of their input to the recipient and made them more likely to offer it. This simple cognitive shift increased awareness of the recipient’s needs and reduced hesitation.
“Even if you feel hesitant to give feedback, we recommend that you give it,” Abi-Esber advised. “Take a second and imagine you’re in the other person’s shoes and ask yourself if you would want feedback if you were them. Most likely you would, and this realization can help empower you to give them feedback.”
Co-author Francesca Gino, Ph.D., also of Harvard Business School, emphasized the practical importance: “Feedback is key to personal growth and improvement, and it can fix problems that are otherwise costly to the recipient. The next time you hear someone mispronounce a word, see a stain on their shirt, or notice a typo on their slide, we urge you to point it out to them—they probably want feedback more than you think.”
The research highlights two takeaways for everyday interactions and organizational practices: first, be aware that your reluctance to speak up may stem from underestimating how helpful your input would be; second, adopt quick perspective-taking habits that remind you to consider the other person’s perspective before deciding whether to stay silent. Together, these steps can increase the flow of constructive feedback, improving learning, relationships, and outcomes in both personal and professional settings.
About this psychology research news
Author: Press Office
Source: APA
Contact: Press Office – APA
Image: The image is in the public domain
Original Research: The findings will appear in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology