I set out to find a reference to confirm that positive interactions can boost performance… and I found it: on Netflix.
A reality show called 100 Humans.
In this well humored reality show, 100 people from different backgrounds, ages, and genders are subjected to experiments to gain insights into human psychology.
In the fifth episode of Season 1, the researchers asked the 100 participants to try to spin a plate on a stick. Participants were given a ubiquitous circus/juggling toy consisting of a plastic plate placed on a pointy 1-meter wooden stick.
One after another, the participants entered a room with a small stage to demonstrate their ability to spin the plate. The judges, which included two researchers and a professional circus artist were observing in the audience. The judge evaluated each performance, either criticizing or praising the contestant. After receiving feedback, the participant was
asked to leave the room and practice more, then to come back to show his/her improvements. Of course, the contestants assumed they were being evaluated (praised or criticized) according to their performance. However, no one knew about the lucky draw: The secret behind the whole experiment. Right in front of the judge was a box full of balls: half of them white, the other half red.
Before each contestant entered the room, the judge drew a ball from the box: If the drawn ball was white, he would give a praise. If the ball was red, he would give a critique.
And so, the experiment began:
It was notable how the contestants who had no talent in spinning the plate but were lucky enough to fall into the praise group could find joy and fun in practicing and improving their skills. On the other hand, the talented contestants, delivering a great performance, but unlucky enough to fall into the critique group, left the stage in anger and frustration with no intent to practice or improve.
Overall, a participant’s motivation to improving didn’t relate to their skill level. Instead, the willingness to improve was defined exclusively by the lucky draw from the secret box.
Something as simple as the color of a drawn ball was decisive in determining whether or not someone would improve.
In this not-so-serious experiment conducted without the need for scientific methods, the power of positive interactions becomes clear.
Wish you a great day.
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