Feedback -Elmadag-Ghimire2026
Description
Grounded in Source Credibility Theory and Affective Appraisal Theory, the study proposed that students’ reactions to evaluative feedback are shaped first by emotional responses, which then influence cognitive and relational evaluations of the feedback source, ultimately affecting engagement intentions. Specifically, the study hypothesized: H1. Feedback valence influences students’ emotional reactions. Positive feedback increases positive emotions, whereas negative feedback reduces positive emotions. H2. Emotional reactions influence cognitive and relational evaluations of the feedback, including perceived clarity, instructor likability, and instructor benevolence. H3. Cognitive and relational evaluations predict students’ engagement intentions, defined as willingness to act on feedback and initiate follow up interaction. H4. The effect of feedback valence on engagement intentions operates indirectly through emotional responses and subsequent cognitive and relational evaluations. H5. These indirect pathways vary as a function of feedback source attribution. Students interpret AI generated and instructor generated feedback differently, particularly in negative feedback contexts. The data were collected through an experimental design with N = 371 students. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental conditions in which they were exposed to written feedback that varied in: • Valence • Source attribution, instructor versus AI After exposure, participants reported: • Their immediate emotional reactions • Perceptions of feedback clarity • Relational perceptions of the source, including likability and benevolence • Engagement intentions All dependent variables were measured using multi item Likert type scales. The data therefore consist of condition based experimental responses with psychometric measures of emotion, cognition, relational evaluation, and behavioral intention.
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Research Design The study employed a between-subjects experimental design to examine how feedback valence and feedback source influence students’ engagement intentions through emotional and evaluative mechanisms. The independent variables were: • Feedback valence • Feedback source attribution, instructor versus AI The dependent variable was: • Student instructor engagement intentions Proposed mediating mechanisms included: • Positive emotions • Perceived clarity of feedback • Instructor likability • Instructor benevolence The design allowed for examination of indirect effects of feedback valence on engagement intentions through emotional and cognitive relational pathways, as well as moderation by feedback source attribution. Participants The final sample consisted of 371 students. Participants were exposed to one of the experimental feedback conditions. Experimental Materials and Manipulations Participants were presented with written feedback that varied along two dimensions: Feedback valence Feedback source attribution Valence manipulation Feedback was constructed to represent either positive or negative evaluative tone. Source manipulation Feedback was attributed either to an instructor or to an AI system. Procedure Participants completed the study in the following sequence: Exposure to the experimental feedback scenario. Measurement of emotional responses. Assessment of cognitive evaluations including clarity Assessment of relational evaluations, including likability and benevolence Measurement of engagement intentions Measures All constructs were measured using multi item scales.