Although modern management and schooling¹ techniques favor praising workers or students, the new research suggests that negative feedback produces more improvement than positive affirmation.

 

In fact, punishments were up to three times more effective at improving performance than rewards.

 

Dr Jan Kubanek, of the Washington University School of Medicine inSt Louis,US, who lead the study, said: "Our study suggests that negative feedback may be more effective than positive feedback at modifying behavior.

 

"Such feedback does not have to be harsh, since it appears that we tend to react in the same manner to any amount of negative feedback.

 

"From an evolutionary² perspective, people tend to avoid punishments or dangerous situations. Rewards, on the other hand, have less of a life-threatening impact."

 

The research involved 88 students who were asked to identify the number of clicks sounded in their right and left ears.

 

Every time a student made a correct choice they were rewarded with a cash sum. But if they gave a wrong answer they had money deducted³.

 

The research showed that those who had money deducted were more likely to make a correct choice in later rounds.

 

"Objectively, you would think that winning 25 cents would have the same magnitude of effect as losing 25 cents, but that's not what we found," added Dr Kubanek.

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