Many students (91%) reported wanting to be praised often or sometimes for being smart
and clever at their schoolwork (ability feedback), but when given the choice between receiving
effort or ability feedback, a strong preference for receiving effort feedback was evident
(Burnett, 2001). Contrary to this finding, Craven, Marsh, and Debus (1991) noted US data
suggesting that ability feedback was most valued by students and was the dominant influence
for the development of self-concepts in specific subject areas. The argument here is that
students need to receive ability feedback from significant others in order to develop a positive
concept of themselves as being competent and good at certain things. Supporting this view was
Burnett (2003) who found that students who reported receiving low levels of ability feedback in
maths and reading from their teachers had negative maths and reading self-talk and reported that
they were not good at those subjects.