6.8 Social facilitation and inhibition

Question 1

Explain what is meant by the term social facilitation

Answer 1

Social facilitation is when an individual’s performance improves with an audience present

Question 2

Explain what is meant by the term social facilitation

Answer 2

Social inhibition is when an individuals performance may worsen with an audience present

Question 3

Briefly explain what is meant by social facilitation and inhibition

Answer 3

The effect of an audience on an individuals performance

Question 4

“Suggested that four types of ‘others’ may be present during performance, and these can be categorised as passive or interactive”

Answer 4

Zajonc’s model

Question 5

Explain what Zajonc’s model suggests regarding performance

Answer 5

“Suggested that four types of ‘others’ may be present during performance, and these can be categorised as passive or interactive”

Question 6

Explain the term ‘passive other’ and give an example to support your answer

Answer 6

Passive others are individuals that do not interact with the performer but have an effect by simply being present, such as:
- Audience
- Co-actors: a cyclist in front of you speeding up = their presence has made you speed up

Question 7

Explain the term ‘interactive others’ and give an example to support your answer

Answer 7

Interactive others communicate directly with the performer, such as:
- Competitive co-actors (other swimmers in a race who are in direct rivalry with the performer)
- Social reinforcers (coach)
-

Question 8

Performance will be facilitated if the performer is:

Answer 8

• An expert and used to performing with an audience
• Performing a simple skill which requires limited decision making/information processing
• Performing a gross skill of large muscle group movements that does not require accuracy

Question 9

What is the main effect on a performer is a passive other, such as an audience, is present?

Answer 9

Experience increased arousal levels (which could either increase or decrease performance)

Question 10

Performance will be inhibited if the performer is

Answer 10

• A novice as they may find the audience intimidating
• Performing a complexed skill that requires several decisions to be made and a lot of information processing
• Performing a fine skill as it requires accuracy which is difficult to maintain with high arousal

Question 11

Explain what is meant by a performers dominant response

Answer 11

At heightened levels of arousal, the performer reverts back to their dominant response which is a well learned skill that the performer will use when under competitive pressure

Question 12

Explain how an experts dominant response may differ from a noice’s

Answer 12

An expert will have over-learned motor programmes stored in their long term memory and their dominant response is likely to be performer correctly (social facilitation).

A novice may not have experienced kinaesthesis and by being under pressure (presence of audience) performance will be inhibited.

Question 13

Explain what is meant by the term ‘evaluation apprehension’

Answer 13

Evaluation apprehension is the perceived fear of being judged.

Question 14

Identify factors that cause evaluation apprehension

Answer 14

• If the audience is knowledgeable
• If significant others are present
• An abusive audience
• If the performer naturally has high trait anxiety
• If the performer has low self efficacy

Question 15

How could a coach prevent social inhibition

Answer 15

• Decrease the importance of the task
• Positive reinforcement
• Slowly introduce an audience in training

Question 16

Identify strategies that could prevent social inhibition

Answer 16

• Familiarisation training (allow an audience to watch you train
• Increase self efficacy
• Practice skills until kinaesthesis is achieved
• Improve selective attention

Question 17

Identify cognitive strategies that could be used to prevent social inhibition

Answer 17

• Mental rehearsal
• Positive self talk
• Negative thought stopping