To give or not to give? The influence of relative status and tie strength on feedback giving

Abstract Feedback giving is important for individual performance and creativity. However, obtaining high‐quality feedback can be challenging. We argue that considering feedback giving from a relationship perspective can help clarify this phenomenon. In this research, based on social exchange theory, we investigated how the social relationships between feedback seekers and feedback providers influence feedback giving. Through a recall‐based experiment, a scenario‐based experiment, and a multiwave field survey, we found that feedback providers' relative status positively influenced their high‐quality feedback provision, and tie strength negatively moderated this relationship. Furthermore, we discovered that the joint effect of relative status and tie strength was mediated by perceived psychological safety. The research findings provide valuable insights into how the relationship between feedback providers and seekers influences high‐quality feedback provision.