We explain what feedback is, its meaning and what positive feedback consists of. Also, what is negative feedback and examples.
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What is the feedback ?
The term feedback comes from English and is equivalent to the word feedback . It is usually used as a synonym for response, reaction or return , wanting to refer to the opinion, evaluation or criticism that an interlocutor offers us in the face of a stimulus from us.
In the theory of communication, feedback is an important part that guarantees the continuity of the communicative process, since it alternates the sender and the receiver, allowing each one to occupy the opposite position . This also applies to other types of communication , such as electronic or computerized.
At the same time, it is known as auditory feedback or Larsen effect to an auditory phenomenon that occurs when there is a direct feedback between an audio input (such as a microphone) and an output of the same signal (such as a speaker).
The effect produced has a frequency that is perceived by our ears as an annoying and often painful beep, depending on the volume level used. This is because the sound signal is enlarged, emitted, collected, re-enlarged and so on .
Another use of the term feedback has to do with certain systems control methods , in which the result obtained by a process is reintroduced to the system, either as a way to evaluate the result , optimize its behavior or to make modifications.
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Positive feedback
In communicative terms, positive feedback is discussed when the communication partners (an exhibition, a demonstration, a presentation, etc.) provide a return that contributes to the improvement of the process or even provides possible solutions for its optimization.
On the other hand, in more technical (systems) terms, we speak of positive feedback when the feedback of a system makes it grow or evolve into new equilibrium states.
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Negative feedback
Although what is positive and negative often depends on the point of view, it is usually considered as negative feedback in the communication to disapproving comments or sterile criticisms, that is, to the rejection by the interlocutors towards the above .
From a technical point of view, on the other hand, the negative feedback is one that pushes the system towards a timely balance, that is, the one that is conservative or that regulates the actions, counteracts the possible growth . Depending on the occasions, negative feedback may be as much or more desirable than positive.
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Feedback Examples
Some possible examples of feedback are:
- In business administration : when a department of the organization exposes its performance, its plans for the future or its productivity indices to others, the public can offer them positive or negative feedback according to their evaluation of the performance or of the plans offered during the exhibition
- In verbal communication : When two people talk on the phone and there is some kind of interference or noise, one of them can ask the other if he hears it, and the other answer yes; then they will have feedback so that they can initiate fluid communication.
- In social networks : One of the great virtues of these new technologies 2.0 on the Internet , is the possibility that each action taken by the company (a promotion, a design change, a call, etc.) its users or target audience Give your opinion, agree or disagree and offer valuable feedback to the company to know whether or not to make the right decisions.
