Social Facilitation and Homefield Advantage A2 PE

Key Terms Dominant Response Proximity Theory Evaluation Apprehension Audience Increased Arousal (Drive Theory) Facilitation Inhibition Home Field Advantage

SOCIAL FACILITATION AND THE EFFECTS OF AN AUDIENCE Think of a typical sporting situation and list the different groups/categories of people that are likely to be present. Describe the effect that the presence of these people has upon the performer. How might this affect the player’s performance?

Present others Interactive others Passive others Co- active Competitors e.g.opponents Emotive supporters Co-actors Non – threatening Fellow performers Audience A passive,possibly silent but interested group

When an audience has a positive effect upon performance It is called ‘SOCIAL FACILITATION’ It is likely to occur when: The performer is an extrovert personality The performer has reached the autonomous stage of learning The task is simple and gross

When an audience has a negative effect upon performance it is called ‘ SOCIAL INHIBITION’ It is likely to occur when: The performer is an introvert personality The performer is in the cognitive or associative stage of learning The task is complex with lots of decisions to make and information to process.

ZAJONC’S DRIVE THEORY OF SOCIAL FACILITATION The mere presence of others, even passive others, is sufficient to raise arousal levels. The Theory links to Hull’s Drive Theory suggests an increase in performance in line with an increase in arousal When under stress we tend to revert to our dominant response The dominant response is the behaviour most likely to occur when we are pressured If the dominant response has been well learned (expert) performance will increase as arousal increases Performance of a novice will not improve with higher arousal

P E R F O M A N C AROUSAL

EVALUATION APPREHENSION Cottrell questioned the belief that the mere presence of others raised arousal levels He suggested the increased arousal levels would only occur if the performer perceived that the audience was judging the performance If the audience are perceived to be knowledgeable about the activity this would increase arousal This perception he called EVALUATION APPREHENSION

DISTRACTION/CONFLICT THEORY Baron (1986) indicated that the performers attentional capacity explains social facilitation Study of information processing models reveal that an individual can attend to a limited amount of environmental cues. Baron proposed that spectators demand the same amount of attention as would data from the sports situation. This added distraction is yet more competition for attentional space

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE

HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE Large supportive home crowds are believed to provide the home team with an advantage. This phenomenon is most evident in indoor sports such as ice hockey and basketball. The crowds in these situations are located close to the action This theory is called the ‘proximity effect’.

Advantages of Homefield Advantage More matches won at home Olympic hosts tend to win more medals Home teams tend to play more attacking More fouls committed by away team

Disadvantages of Homefield Advantage Pressure of playing at home may hinder performance The more important the game, the greater the negative effect on the home team Higher expectations from spectators and players

STRATEGIES TO COMBAT SOCIAL INHIBITION Practise selective attention Use cognitive visualisation techniques such as imagery and mental rehearsal Over-learn essential skills so that dominant response is correct when arousal increases Reduce the importance of the event Simulate crowd noise Raise performer’s awareness of the zone of optimum functioning.

Exam Questions The effect of social facilitation is caused by others. Name the four categories of others. How does evaluation apprehension differ from social facilitation? Suggest three strategies a coach may employ to reduce the effect of social inhibition