Social Facilitation and Inhibition Flashcards
Explain how social facilitation and social inhibition affect sports performers
Most sports or physical activities take place in the company of others. The presence of these other people can influence the performance of the individual in both a positive or negative way.
Identify the two major psychological theories relating to social facilitation and inhibition
Dive Theory of Social Facilitation - Zajonc (1965)
Evaluation Apprehension Theory - Cottrell (1968)
Define the term ‘co-actors’
These are fellow performers in the form of opponents, team-mates or people in the same exercise group.
Analyse Zajonc’s Drive Theory of Social Facilitation (1965)
Zajonc believed that the mere presence of others, even ‘passive others’, is sufficient to increase the arousal level of the performer. He used drive theory to predict the effect of others on performance. He suggests that arousal enhances the production of dominant responses.
Define the term ‘dominant response’
The behaviour most likely to occur.
Describe the link between the stages of learning and Zajonc’s Drive Theory of Social Facilitation
High arousal would benefit the expert learner at the autonomous phase of learning because the performers dominant response would tend towards the correct response.
At the novice stage of learning, associative stage, the dominant response is likely to be incorrect. Therefore, high arousal would cause mistakes and the thus inhibit performance.
Explain Cottrell’s Evaluation Apprehension Theory (1968)
Cottrell questioned Zajonc’s idea that the mere presence of others caused an increase in arousal levels. He proposed that increased arousal levels were only evident when the performer perceived that the audience was assessing or judging performance.
This perceived evaluation could both inhibit performance levels or have a facilitating affect.
What is meant by the ‘Home Advantage Effect’?
Large supportive home crowds are believed to provide the home team with an advantage. This appears to become stronger as the size of the audience increases. Nevin and Cann (1998)
Describe the ‘Proximity Effect
Schwartz (1975) proposed that the location of the crowd was an important factor in relation to social facilitation. It appears that performers feel a more intense effect the closer the audience. For example in Ice Hockey and Basketball.
Analyse Baron’s Distraction-Conflict Theory (1986)
Baron proposed that the limitation of the performers attentional capacity can explain the effect of an audience. He suggested that spectators demand the same amount of attention as would data from the sports situation, leading to distraction.
Suggest strategies to combat the effect of social inhibition in practical activities
Selective attention to focus on relevant cues
Mental rehearsal and imagery to block out the audience
Positive self-talk to block out negative thoughts
Practice undertaken in the presence of an audience
Performer should ensure skills are ‘grooved’ to become dominant response
Confidence building strategies to increase self-efficacy
Positive reinforcement from coach to reduce anxiety
Appropriate use of attribution to increase confidence
