social facilitation

Social Facilitation

We rarely carry out a sporting activity on our own in total isolation; our presence will usually have an effect on another’s sporting performance and the presence of others will have an influence on our own behaviour and our performance. We are often totally unaware of any of these affects and so the behaviour of the person taking part in a physical activity whether it be school P.E or the World Cup Final is said to be influenced socially either directly or indirectly. The study of this effect is called Social Facilitation.
In the context of the sporting activity the presence of others is seen as the audience, although there are different types; there are primary and secondary spectators then there are passive and supportive.
Primary spectators are those who are present at the event and secondary are those watching the event at home on TV or listening to it through other forms of media. Passive supporters are those who remain quieter and do no...