Social facilitation and Inhibition

Question 1

Define social facilitation

Answer 1

• The positive effect the presence of others has on performance.

Question 2

Define social inhibition

Answer 2

• The negative effect the presence of others has on performance.

Question 3

What are passive others (+ examples)

Answer 3

Passive others do not interact with the performer but have an effect by simply being present:
1. Audience: people present who do not speak but just watch, there mere presence may put you off (TV audience).
2. Co-actors: are doing the same thing at the same time as you but are not in competition (e.g. a jogger on the opposite side of the road).

Question 4

What are interactive others (+ examples)

Answer 4

Interactive others communicate directly with the performer.
3. Competitors: in direct competition with them, your opponent.
4. Social reinforcers: people who have a direct influence on the performance, such as coach/ crowd.

Question 5

Go and look at Zajonc Model/ Zajonc’s drive theory

Question 6

How are audience and co-actors passive?

Answer 6

• They do not exert a direct influence on the event.
• But their presence causes an increase in arousal- they are aware they are being watched.

Question 7

How are competitors and social reinforcers interactive?

Answer 7

• More activity involved in the event.
• Gives encouragement, advice or cause distractions.

Question 8

What does the response of the performer depend on?

Answer 8

• The response of the sports performer being watched depends on their level of experience and the degree of difficulty of the skill.

Question 9

What happens to a cognitive performer whilst being watched?

Answer 9

• Experience anxiety.
• Over-arousal.
• Unable to cope with pressure.
• Poor execution of skills.
• Social inhibition.

Question 10

What happens to an autonomous performer when being watched?

Answer 10

• Cope with the crowd.
• Motivated/ encouraged by support.
• Skill performance is enhanced.
• Social facilitation.

Question 11

What happens when the skill is simple?

Answer 11

• Presence of co-actors can help motivate the performer to keep going or try harder.
• Not much information to process- limited decisions to be made.
• Can perform under higher levels of arousal.

Question 12

What happens when the skill is complex?

Answer 12

• Presence of others can have a negative effect- due to the large amounts of information needing to be processed under stress.
• This will increase arousal levels meaning information processing decreases.

Question 13

What happens to an expert? (performance and dominant response)

Answer 13

• Well learnt.
• Automatic.
• Performed with ease.
• No pressure on the performer.
• Response is simple- done without much thought or attention (habitual).
• Response will be correct.
• The crowd can even facilitate efforts.

Question 14

What happens to a novice? (Performance and dominant response).

Answer 14

• Responses are not automatic.
• Unable to identify correct response.
• Produce incorrect action.
• Response is complex- a lot of attention is needed to find the right answer.
• Crowd adds pressure and causes inhibition.

Question 15

Strategies that a coach may use to reduce the negative effects of an audience on performance…

Answer 15

1. Train in front of others.
2. Improve selective attention and cut out the effect of the audience.
3. Reduce the importance of the event.
4. Encourage teammates to be supportive.
5. Ensure skills are grooved and well learnt.