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Brief report
Withholding negative feedback: Is it about protecting the self or protecting others?
Article first published online: 27 MAR 2012
DOI: 10.1111/j.2044-8309.2012.02098.x
©2012 The British Psychological Society
Additional Information
How to Cite
Jeffries, C. H. and Hornsey, M. J. (2012), Withholding negative feedback: Is it about protecting the self or protecting others?. British Journal of Social Psychology, 51: 772–780. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8309.2012.02098.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 5 DEC 2012
- Article first published online: 27 MAR 2012
- Received 20 September 2011; revised version received 23 January 2012
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
The reluctance to deliver negative feedback to someone's face is widely documented. This research disentangles the extent to which this reluctance is motivated by a desire to protect the self as opposed to others. Participants assessed an essay written by someone with high, medium, or low self-esteem. Assessment of the essay was most positive when the feedback was to be provided face-to-face, less positive when delivered anonymously, and least positive when it was not required to be delivered at all. This effect only emerged among participants low in self-liking (but was unrelated to self-competency). The self-esteem of the essay writer had no effect on evaluations. The data lend support for a self-protection motive and modest support for an other-protection motive.