Social facilitation

Question 1

What is social facilitation?

Answer 1

The positive effects experienced by a performer whilst in the presence of an audience

Question 2

What is social inhibition?

Answer 2

The negative effects experienced by a performer whilst in the presence of an audience

Question 3

What is Zajonc’s model?

Answer 3

• suggests that there are 4 types of ‘others’ that might be present during performance divided into passive or active others
• passive do not interact with performer but have an effect by simply being present
• active communicate directly with performer
• audience
• co-actors
• competitive co-actors
• social reinforcers

Question 4

Who are passive others?

Answer 4

• audience do not speak but just watch
• Eg/ television audience
• their meer presence might make you feel anxious and can affect your performance
• co-actors perform the same task as you at the same time but are not competing against you
• Eg/ netbally player in the court next to you playing the same position
• their presence can make you try harder even if you win nothing by doing so

Question 5

Who are interactive others?

Answer 5

• competitive co-actors the opposition
• Eg/ other sprinters in a race who are in direct rivalry with performer
• social reinforcers the coach and crowd
• Eg/ spectators at football match cheering or shouting abuse
• give the motivation to improve

Question 6

What are the effects of the audience

Answer 6

• increase arousal levels
• varies depending on performer
• depends on skill classification and performers level of experience

Question 7

When will performace be facilitated when in the presence of a crowd?

Answer 7

• if performer is an expert and are used to performing infront of an audience
• performing a simple skill
• performing a gross skill
• performer will be able to cope with the increased arousal levels and their performance will improve
• social facilitation

Question 8

When will performance be inhibityed when in the presence of a crowd?

Answer 8

• perfomrer is a novice and find performing in front of an audience intimidating
• performing a complex skill, requires a lot of information processing
• fine skill, requires precision and accuracy
• performer cannot cope with the increased levels of arousal and their performance will deteriorate
• social inhibition

Question 9

What is a dominant response?

Answer 9

• well learnt skills that the performer will use under competitive pressure
• if performer is autonomous they have overlearned motor programmes stored in LTM
• DR more likely to be correct so will facilitate performance
• if performer is cognitive they have not yet grooved responses
• DR more likely to be incorrect so performance will be inhibited
• links to drive theory

Question 10

What is evaluation apprehanesion?

Answer 10

• fear of being judged
• performer might not be being judged but if they precieve that they are then it will have an effect on their performance

Question 11

What are the factors that can cause social inhibition?

Answer 11

• if audience is knowledgeable
• if significant others are present
• if audience is supportive or abusive performace will be inhibited or facilitated
• if performer has high trait anxiety they will be inhibited by audience
• if perfomer has low self efficacy they dont believe in their ability and will be inhibited

Question 12

What are the strategies to combat social inhibition?

Answer 12

• familiarisation training
• increase self efficacy
• practise skills until they are grooved
• use selective attention to improve focus and block out crowd
• mental rehearsal - lowers arousal levels
• imagery
• positive self talk
• negative thought stopping

Question 13

What could a coach do to combat social inhibition?

Answer 13

• decrease importance of task
• offer encouragement, positive reinforcement and praise
• slowly introduce evaluation in training