While this might seem like a straightforward definition, it is actually a very complex concept with many nuances.
History of Social Facilitation
First, let’s consider a brief history of how the concept evolved.
In its most basic form, it was first proposed by researcher Norman Triplett in 1898.
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Triplett first studied bicycle racing by looking at records from a cycling association.
This wasn’t the first time that research revealed conflicting results related to social facilitation.
But, for complex tasks where that dominant response had not been learned, performance could be impaired.
Examples of Social Facilitation
What are some examples of social facilitation in action?
If plotted on a graph, this is thought to like like an “upside down U.”
In contrast, imagine a situation in which you’ve barely studied at all for a test.
Social Loafing
Social loafingis a related but different concept from social facilitation.
This is thought to result because each individual person feels lower responsibility for the outcome.
In other words, your performance will only improve when you feel like the audience is evaluating you.
Research on Social Facilitation
What about recent research on social facilitation?
In a 2002 meta analysisthree conclusions were drawn.
First, it was determined that the presence of others only increased arousal when completing a complex task.
Finally, it was shown that social facilitation effects did not relate to evaluation apprehension.
Influencing Factors
What factors influence social facilitation?
If you think about it, understanding this concept may help you to improve your own performance on tasks.
Triplett N.The dynamogenic factors in pacemaking and competition.The American Journal of Psychology.
2015;58(6):857-865. doi:10.1080/00140139.2014.993429
