1. Social psychology The scientific study of the ways in which people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours are affected by other people. In which ways do other people affect how you act?

2. Today’s session You will learn aboutContext Understanding behaviour in a psychological way Describing psychological studies Social facilitation

3. Does the presence of other people affect how well we are able to perform on a task?

4. Psychological studies Aim Method Findings Conclusions

5. Triplett (1897) Effect of ‘co-actors’ on task performance 40 children told to wind a fishing reel as quickly as possible Children were either alone or in pairs What do you think the results were? Why?

6. Zajonc et al* (1969) Effect of an audience on task performance 72 adult female cockroaches timed running away from a light source Audience (of roaches) or no audience What do you think the results were? Why? *et al means ‘and some colleagues’

8. Zajonc et al (1969) Zajonc made the task more difficult. The roaches had to make a right turn in order to escape. Do you think this would alter the results? How?

10. Jajonc et al (1969) Two variables were investigated: Difficulty of task Presence of audience What effect did each have? straightright turn time to find exit (s) 41s 33s 110s 130s alone audience

11. What does Zajonc’s study tell us about the effect of having an audience? How far do you think the results of Zajonc’s study of cockroaches will also apply to people?

12. It is May 2009 and you are about to sit your Psychology AS exam. The hall is very full. The invigilator offers you the chance to sit your exam alone in a separate room, if you want. Do you stay where you are?