Face Threat Mitigation in Feedback: An Examination of Student Feedback Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Emotional Support

This experimental study examined the effects of an instructor’s face threat mitigation tactics on student self-efficacy for learning and perceived emotional support from the instructor in a written feedback setting. Participants (N = 401) were randomly assigned to one of two feedback scenarios in which level of face threat was manipulated. Student feedback anxiety was measured prior to being exposed to the feedback scenario. Results indicate that high face threat mitigation is positively associated with student self-efficacy for learning and perceived emotional support from the instructor. Results also revealed that feedback anxiety predicts lower self-efficacy for learning and less perceived emotional support from the instructor. Implications regarding theory, the measurement of feedback apprehension, and student–instructor communication are discussed.