Social facilitation during motor tasks: A meta-analysis

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Abstract

Social facilitation is the “increase in response merely from the sight or sound of others making the same movement” (Allport, 1924, p.262) or “conditions in which others are merely present […]” (cf. Strauss, 2002; Zajonc, 1965). This effect ranges from marginal improvements to no difference to substantial decrements in a series of different tasks (Bond & Titus, 1983). Bond’s and Titus’ (1983) meta-analysis (mainly focusing on cognitive tasks), as well as followup research (Landers & McCullagh, 1976), indicate the moderating effect of cognitive demand on the degree of social facilitation. In motor and sports performance, coordinative tasks are hypothesized to be negatively affected by the presence of or coaction with others due to the higher cognitive load whereas performances in stamina and strengthrelated tasks should profit from the presence of others due to an increase of effort readiness (Strauss, 2002). However, there has never been an approach to quantify the overall effect by means of a meta-analysis while controlling for the different demands in motor tasks. The purpose of this first meta-analysis is to identify the prevalence and magnitude of social facilitation during human motor and sports-related tasks by distinguishing between tasks classified as condition-based, coordination-based exercises or a mix of both, as proposed by Strauss (2002). Forward searches of Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Academic Search Premier as well as backward searches of Bond and Titus (1983), Landers and McCullagh (1976), Strauss (2002) and Oviatt (2005) were used to identify studies that met the inclusion criteria: (a) comparing some measure of motor performance in the presence of or coaction with others and alone, (b) published in a peer-reviewed journal, (c) analysing original empirical data, (d) written in English, (e) investigating human subjects, and (f) providing sufficient information to compute effect sizes. All studies from the first experiment (Triplett, 1898) until today were considered. Competitive conditions and archival studies were excluded (Allport, 1924; Landers & McCullagh, 1976). In N = 84 studies, participants (N = 5,846, 51% male) were mostly M = 18.74 (SD = 5.9) year-old undergraduate students who participated in n = 16 condition-based tasks, n = 57 coordination-based tasks and n = 7 mixed tasks (n = 5 unknown). To test the effects of social facilitation, either audience (n = 66) or co-action (n = 15) conditions (n = 3 unknown) will be compared to performances completed alone. Effect sizes will be transformed to provide an overall effect of the standardized mean difference d. Since high heterogeneity between the studies is excepted and task types are hypothesized, a moderator analysis of the task difficulty, the type of motor task and the manipulation condition (audience or co-action situation) will be performed. The analysis is currently conducted, and results (expected in a few weeks in March) will be presented and discussed before the different social-facilitation theories.

Speakers from the University of Münster

Greve, Jona Anders	Professorship for Sport Psychology (Prof. Strauß)
Strauß, Bernd	Professorship for Sport Psychology (Prof. Strauß)
van Meurs, Edda	Professorship for Sport Psychology (Prof. Strauß)