9.1:
Social Facilitation
When someone is really good at something, they can perform even better if they’re in front of an audience. This phenomenon is referred to as social facilitation—enhanced performance on well-rehearsed tasks in the presence of others.
On the flip side, if an individual finds a task like dancing difficult, he’s worse in front of the crowd, even if the packed environment is friendly.
So, why does the presence of people sometimes strengthen an act and at other times, hinder responses?
When watching the game, notice that the player who’s “on” becomes energized. The arousal leads to an amplification of scoring more points. However, the same aroused state causes the improvising dancer to increase the number of incorrect moves, instead of the correct ones.
Such states explain why nerves can get the best of someone during crowded routines and play into the so-called “home-team” advantage in sports.
9.1:
Social Facilitation
Not all intergroup interactions lead to negative outcomes. Sometimes, being in a group situation can improve performance. Social facilitation occurs when an individual performs better when an audience is watching than when the individual performs the behavior alone. This typically occurs when people are performing a task for which they are skilled.
Can you think of an example in which having an audience could improve performance? One common example is sports. Skilled basketball players will be more likely to make a free throw basket when surrounded by a cheering audience than when playing alone in the gym. However, there are instances when even skilled athletes can have difficulty under pressure. For example, if an athlete is less skilled or nervous about making a free throw, having an audience may actually hinder rather than help. In sum, social facilitation is likely to occur for easy tasks, or tasks at which we are skilled, but worse performance may occur when performing in front of others, depending on the task.
This text is adapted from OpenStax, Psychology. OpenStax CNX.
Suggested Reading
Bond, C. F., Atoum, A. O., & VanLeeuwen, M. D. (1996). Social impairment of complex learning in the wake of public embarrassment. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 18, 31–44.
Blascovich, J., Mendes, W. B., Hunter, S. B., & Salomon, K. (1999). Social “facilitation” as challenge and threat. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 68–77.
Stroebe, W. (2012). The truth about Triplett (1898), but nobody seems to care. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7(1), 54–57.
Zajonc, R. B. (1965). Social facilitation. Science, 149, 269–274.