Social facilitation and inhibition AQA A level PE

Social facilitation

The positive effect of the presence of others on performance

Social inhibition

The negative effect of the presence of others on performance

BEDTOP acronym

The behavioural effects due to the presence of others

Audience

Those who just watch the event

Co-Actors

Those who are doing the same task but are not involved in direct competition

Competitive co-actors

Those in direct competition with the performer e.g. opponents

Social reinforcers

Those who have a direct influence on the event e.g. a coach

Evaluation apprehension

The perceived fear of being judged which has a negative impact on performance

Dominant response

The stand-out response that the performer thinks is correct
typically performers revert back to their dominant response when their arousal levels are heightened.

What does Zajonc's model suggest?

that 4 types of 'others' may be present during performance and these can be categorised as passive or interactive

what are passive others?

do not interact with the performer but have an effect by being present;
1. audience - people just watching
2. Co-actors - people who are performing the same skill at the same time but not against you

what are interactive others?

communicate directly with you and include;
1. competitive co-actors - the opposition
2. social reinforcers - crowd making noise.

what are the likely effects of an audience?

increase arousal levels. this will impact the performer differently depending on experience level , the skill being performed (eg. simple or complex,) and whether the skill is gross or fine (gross likely to be benefited)

Factors affecting evaluation apprehension

1. if the audience is knowledgable = more nervous
2. if significant others are watching = more nervous
3. if the performer naturally has high trait anxiety
4. if the performer has low self-confidence
5. if audience is supportive/abusive

strategies to combat social inhibition

1. familiarisation training - allow audience to watch when training
2. Increase self-efficacy
3. practice skill until they are grooved/overlearned
4. use selective attention to improve focus

other cognitive strategies;
mental rehearsal, visualisation, imagery, positive self-talk

coach could;
decrease importance of the task, offer encouragement/reinforcement, slowly introduce evaluation in training