Social facilitation: Social facilitation and inhibition.

The idea

Social facilitation is the tendency for the presence of others to improve performance, while social inhibition is the tendency for their presence to worsen it. The effect depends on the task, the performer and the audience. A well-learned simple or gross skill is often performed better in front of an audience, whereas a newly learned or finely controlled skill is often performed worse. Drive theory explains this through increased arousal strengthening the dominant response: if the dominant response is correct, performance improves; if it is incorrect, performance declines. Evaluation apprehension, the fear of being judged, and the audience's proximity, size and status also influence the effect.

For example: A netball player may shoot more accurately in a familiar routine but misplace a new passing pattern when watched.

What earns the marks

• Social facilitation is the improvement of performance caused by the presence of others.
• Social inhibition is the worsening of performance caused by the presence of others.
• The effect depends on task type, skill level and the nature of the audience.
• Well-learned simple or gross skills are more likely to be facilitated; newly learned or finely controlled skills are more likely to be inhibited.
• Drive theory explains the effect through increased arousal strengthening the dominant response.
• Evaluation apprehension, and audience size, proximity and status, can increase the effect.
• Performers can manage the effect through familiar routines, simulation of competition conditions and arousal control.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Defining social facilitation as any effect of an audience.

  Put it right: It is specifically the improvement of performance, while inhibition is the worsening.

• Assuming an audience always improves performance.

  Put it right: The effect depends on task difficulty, skill level and the audience.

• Confusing social facilitation with social loafing.

  Put it right: Loafing is reduced effort in a group, whereas facilitation concerns the effect of an audience on an individual's performance.

• Ignoring evaluation apprehension: correction — the fear of being judged is a key reason why an audience can inhibit performance.

Exam tips

• State the direction of the effect first, then explain the task and performer conditions that produce it.
• Use drive theory to link arousal, the dominant response and the resulting performance change.
• Apply the concept to a named skill and audience, such as a novice serving in front of a large crowd, to show understanding.