social facilitation/inhibition

Question 1

what is social facilitation

Answer 1

when arousal, stimulated by the presence of others has a positive effect on performance e.g. cheering from crowd

Question 2

what is social inhibition

Answer 2

when arousal, stimulated by the presence of others has a negative effect on performance e.g. jeering from crowd increases arousal so they loose the ball preventing scoring a try

Question 3

what is Zajonc’s drive theory of social facilitation

Answer 3

• higher arousal levels the more likely the dominant response
  1- presence of audience increases arousal
  2- arousal increased causes dominant response
  3- expert has correct dominant response = social facilitation and incorrect dominant response leads to social inhibition
  4- gross and simple skills need higher arousal

Question 4

what’s evaluation apprehension

Answer 4

when a performer feels they are being evaluated by a crowd member causing increased arousal
- scouts, judges, sometimes an individual feels parents or friends watching make judgements which increases anxiety

Question 5

when is evaluation apprehension most likely

Answer 5

• when judges are high of status
• perceived evaluator is opposite sex
• performer has low self efficiency
• performers ability level is low
• audience are openly and verbally critical
• event is important result is critical
• previous performance was bad
• external rewards are high

Question 6

what affects social facilitation

Answer 6

• trait anxiety level
• personality of performer (arousal levels)
• previous experience
• age and gender
• status of observers/knowledge
• nature of audience/noise

Question 7

how to limit the effect of an audience (combating social facilitation)

Answer 7

• learn new skills without audience
• audience gradually introduced during training
• strategies to help block out the crowd self talk etc
• visualise performance in front of audience
• increase selective attention, no narrowing attention
• reduce importance of the event
• avoid social comparison with others
• team mates supportive
• attribute correctly

Question 8

what is the proximity effect

Answer 8

• effect of an audience is more intense when they are closer
• indoor particularly

Question 9

what’s the distraction conflict theory

Answer 9

limitations of performers attentional capacity can explain effect on audience

• attention to limited number of environmental cues
• spectators demand same amount of attention