Effet de la valence positive vs négative de l’étiquetage fonctionnel vs social sur le travail universitaire collectif
The Effect of Positive vs Negative and Social vs Functional Labeling on Academic Teamwork

Summary/Abstract: Several studies have shown the effectiveness of the labeling procedure when it is related to the target behavior (e.g., Strenta & Dejong, 1981). Subsequent studies have shown that this efficiency is more important when the labeling is positive rather than negative (e.g., Goldman, Seever, & Seever, 1982; Kraut, 1973), and when it concerns a social value rather than a functional value (e.g., Fointiat, Caillaud, & Martinie, 2004). The aim of the present study is to examine the potential impact of the type of labeling (functional vs social) on students’ performance in a natural classroom setting while manipulating its valence (positive vs negative) using different verbal formulations. Participants were randomly assigned to small groups of four students each. The experience includes six experimental conditions, as follows: 1. positive functional labeling (“I think that you are the most effective by answering/by choosing this approach/by responding/analyzing...”, 2. negative functional labeling (“you are the less effective...”), 3. simple functional labeling (“you are efficient...”), 4. positive social labeling (“you are much better...”), 5. negative social labeling (“you are not the best...”), 6. simple social labeling (“you are the best...”) and the control condition: no labeling. The dependent variables are the participation rate and the number of correct answers. The results showed the effectiveness of the functional positive labeling on the participation rate and the number of correct answers. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

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