More Fit, Less Load? Cognitive Processes of Feedback Framed toward Own Preferences

Feedback significantly impacts learning outcomes, yet interindividual differences in feedback preferences remain understudied. We postulate and test a fitting feedback framework assuming that feedback framings matching personal preferences produce positive effects. We conducted two learning experiments including feedback representing different frames by means of regulatory focus theory (N = 148) and preferences for comparison standards (N = 150). We revealed fit effects for both paradigms, but not all proposed fit effects were observable. Additionally, we investigated the underlying processes following a cognitive explanatory approach with a dual-task paradigm and observed differences in fit effects based on cognitive load. Taken together, the present research contributes to the framework of fitting feedback, though effects are hard to identify and results on the underlying process are challenging.