摘 要：Providing feedback on performance relative to a comparison group is a common approach to foster motivation and enhance later performance. In this study, we investigate how the comparison group for such feedback should be chosen. We show in a field experiment taking place in a high school in China that relative performance feedback has a greater positive effect on performance when the comparison group is small than when it is large. We argue that a likely explanation is that the first and last places in a ranking can act as reference points. In small groups, participants’ ranks tend to be closer to these extreme ranks leading to a greater motivation to increase performance in order to reach the first place or avoid the last place.

主讲人简介：徐慧，北京师范大学经济与工商管理学院经济系副教授，人的发展经济学研究中心研究员，研究领域为教育经济学、实验与行为经济学、劳动经济学和发展经济学。研究成果发表在Journal of Population Economics, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization、Economic Development and Cultural Change、World Development、Singapore Economic Review、AEA Papers and Proceedings等期刊上，主持国家自然科学基金面上项目、青年项目以及教育部人文社会科学研究一般项目等。