JOURNAL ARTICLE

Transforming Passive Employee Engagement Into Active Engagement: Supervisor Development Feedback Valences on Feedback-Seeking Behavior.

  • Published In: Psychological Reports, 2026, v. 129, n. 3. P. 2444 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Liu, Shuwei; Wang, Jiyong; Wang, Rui 3 of 3

Abstract

This article examines the impact of supervisor development feedback (SDF) valence—distinguishing between positive supervisor development feedback (PSDF) and negative supervisor development feedback (NSDF)—on employees' feedback-seeking behavior (FSB), with a focus on the mediating role of work meaningfulness (WMF) and the moderating effect of positive attribution (PA). Using multi-source, multi-time data from 158 supervisors and 659 employees across various Chinese enterprises, the study finds that PSDF positively influences employees' FSB both directly and indirectly through enhanced WMF, whereas NSDF negatively affects WMF but does not significantly impact FSB. Additionally, employees' PA strengthens the positive relationship between PSDF and WMF and weakens the negative effect of NSDF on WMF, thereby moderating the indirect effect of SDF on FSB via WMF. The findings suggest that emphasizing positive developmental feedback and fostering employees' sense of meaningful work and positive attribution can promote proactive feedback-seeking, which is linked to improved creativity and innovation in organizational settings.

Additional Information

  • Source:Psychological Reports. 2026/06, Vol. 129, Issue 3, p2444
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Psychology
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:0033-2941
  • DOI:10.1177/00332941231213842
  • Accession Number:192954026
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