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Author
N.G. Dimitrova
C. van Dyck
E.A.J. van Hooft
P. Groenewegen
Year
2015
Title
Don’t fuss, focus: the mediating effect of on-task thoughts on the relationship between error approach instructions and task performance
Journal
Applied Psychology
Volume | Issue number
64 | 3
Pages (from-to)
599-624
Document type
Article
Faculty
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG)
Institute
Psychology Research Institute (PsyRes)
Abstract
People working on a task can make errors along the way. How people deal with an error, however, depends on the type of error approach they apply. One approach, error management, focuses on increasing the positive and decreasing the negative consequences of errors. A second approach, error prevention, focuses on working faultlessly. In two experiments, we manipulated error approach through task instructions and measured on-task thoughts and off-task thoughts. In Experiment 1 (N = 78), error management resulted in more on-task thoughts, but no differences were found for off-task thoughts. Experiment 2 (N = 76) replicated the findings of Experiment 1, and further demonstrated that error management resulted in better analogical and adaptive transfer performance, and that these effects were mediated by on-task thoughts. Our findings point toward the benefits of error management instructions for people and organisations. Specifically, error management instructions make people more focused on the task during practice, as indicated by on-task thoughts, which in turn results in higher performance after practice.
URL
go to publisher's site
Language
English
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/11245/1.490420

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