Question 1

Assume that you are playing pool at the student union when several of your buddies surround the table to watch you play. If you are ________ player, you would ________ because of the arousing effects of their presence.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Assume that you are playing pool at...

Question 2

The evaluation apprehension explanation for the source of arousal that produces social facilitation posits that ________ leads to increased arousal-and thus to enhanced performance on simple tasks.

Accepted Answer

The evaluation apprehension explanation specifically states that the presence of others who might judge us leads to increased arousal and enhanced performance on simple tasks.

Question 3

Which of the following explanations for social facilitation applies to humans but not to cockroaches? Humans are

Accepted Answer

Humans are aroused at the prospect of evaluation, which means they are more likely to perform better in the presence of others when they know they will be evaluated. This explanation does not apply to cockroaches as they do not have the capacity to be evaluated or to understand the concept of evaluation.

Question 4

According to your authors, there are three theories that can explain the role of arousal in social facilitation. Which of the following best represents the three theories?

Accepted Answer

The three theories are others make us alert (arousal enhances performance on simple tasks), apprehension about being evaluated (evaluation apprehension can impair performance on complex tasks), and others are distracting (distracting stimuli can impair performance on complex tasks).

Question 5

Benefits to performance due to social facilitation will most likely occur when

Accepted Answer

Social facilitation occurs when the presence of others enhances performance, and this is more likely to happen when the task is simple and well-learned. When the task is difficult, the presence of others may actually hinder performance, a phenomenon known as social inhibition. Additionally, the presence of others relaxing you (B) may not necessarily lead to improved performance. Finally, individual efforts not being assessed (D) is not necessarily related to social facilitation.

Question 6

Complete the following analogy regarding social facilitation. Better: ________ :: worse: ________.

Accepted Answer

Social facilitation refers to the phenomenon where being in the presence of others enhances performance on simple or well-practiced tasks (hence, "better"), but hinders performance on complex or novel tasks (hence, "worse"). Choice A correctly pairs "simple" with "better" and "complex" with "worse." The other choices do not capture this idea.

Question 7

The presence of others will facilitate performance for

Accepted Answer

The answer of The presence of others will facilitate performance...

Question 8

One explanation for social facilitation focuses on the role of evaluation apprehension-the anxiety associated with being judged by others-in creating a state of arousal in people. What is the weakness of this explanation?

Accepted Answer

The weakness of the evaluation apprehension explanation for social facilitation is that it does not apply to non-human subjects like cockroaches, which have also been shown to experience social facilitation effects, suggesting that the anxiety of being judged by others cannot fully explain the phenomenon.

Question 9

In a study conducted by Zajonc and his colleagues (1969), they examined the question of whether organisms perform better in the presence of others or alone, using ________ as participants.

Accepted Answer

The study conducted by Zajonc and his colleagues (1969) examined the question of whether organisms perform better in the presence of others or alone, using cockroaches as participants.

Question 10

Social facilitation refers to the tendency of people to perform ________ on simple tasks and ________ on complex tasks when others are present.

Accepted Answer

Social facilitation is the phenomenon where the presence of others enhances performance on simple tasks, which are well-learned or effortless, but impairs performance on complex tasks that require more focus and attention. Therefore, people tend to perform better on simple tasks when others are present.

Question 11

Adele has never driven a car with a manual transmission before-that is, she's never had to decide when to shift gears, push in the clutch, or stop suddenly when the car is in gear. She's just bought a car with manual transmission, and wants to practice driving it before she takes it onto the highway. What should she do?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Adele has never driven a car with...

Question 12

When your roommate enters the room while you're typing an email, it can make you uncomfortable. The roommate isn't judging you, but you may still feel uncomfortable, according to Zajonc, because the roommate's mere presence is

Accepted Answer

According to Zajonc's theory of social facilitation, the mere presence of others can be arousing, which can lead to improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks but impaired performance on complex or novel tasks. In this situation, typing an email is likely a simple task, but the roommate's presence can still be arousing and cause discomfort. Therefore, choice C, arousing, is the best answer.

Question 13

Zajonc (1965) wrote an influential article in which he posited a theoretical explanation for the social facilitation effect. Elegantly simple, this explanation included two steps:

Accepted Answer

Zajonc's theory suggests that the presence of others increases arousal, which enhances the performance of simple tasks but impairs the performance of complex or new tasks.

Question 14

Baron (1986) has found that flashing lights can cause the same social facilitation effects as the presence of other people. These findings support the idea that ________ is the source of arousal that enhances performance on simple tasks.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Baron (1986) has found that flashing lights...

Question 15

Sometimes famous performers have horrible final rehearsals in empty auditoriums prior to a big performance, yet they end up having wonderful performances in front of audiences. Why would the presence of others increase performance on a well-rehearsed task, such as musical performance?

Accepted Answer

The presence of an audience can increase arousal levels in performers, which can lead to enhanced performance. This is known as social facilitation. Even though the performers have rehearsed well, the added arousal from performing in front of others can lead to better focus, energy and motivation during the actual performance.

Question 16

Which is the proper order of the processes in Zajonc's explanation for social facilitation?

Accepted Answer

Zajonc's explanation for social facilitation suggests that the presence of others leads to arousal, which then enhances the performance of the dominant response. Therefore, the proper order of the processes is presence of others > arousal > perform dominant response.

Question 17

Dozens of social-psychological experiments on the topic of social facilitation have employed people and a variety of animals and insects. One consistent finding has emerged from these many studies:

Accepted Answer

The consistent finding in social facilitation experiments is that the presence of others enhances performance on simple tasks. This is known as the "mere presence" effect, where the presence of others causes arousal and an increase in dominant responses, leading to improved performance on simple tasks. However, for complex tasks, the presence of others can be distracting and lead to a decrease in performance, known as the "co-action effect."

Question 18

Who will probably be most successful at performing his or her task?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Who will probably be most successful at...

Question 19

Recall that Zajonc and his colleagues (1969) employed the lowly cockroach in their studies of social facilitation. In the presence of other cockroaches, roaches would run faster down a straightaway to escape a bright light than they would alone, but took longer in the presence of a cockroach audience when the escape route was more complicated (i.e., when they had to run a maze). These findings support the idea that

Accepted Answer

The findings support the idea that the presence of other members of a species elicits the most dominant response, which in the case of a simple task (running down a straightaway) is to perform better, and in the case of a complex task (navigating a maze), is to perform worse. This is consistent with the theory of social facilitation, which suggests that the presence of others can enhance performance on simple tasks but impair performance on complex tasks.

Question 20

When people or roaches undertake a difficult task, the presence of others ________ performance; when they undertake a simple task, the presence of others ________ performance.

Accepted Answer

The presence of others tends to impair performance on difficult tasks due to increased pressure and distraction, but enhances performance on simple tasks due to increased motivation and arousal, a phenomenon known as social facilitation.

Quiz 9: Group Processes: Influence in Social Groups

Assume that you are playing pool at the student union when several of your buddies surround the table to watch you play. If you are player, you would because of the arousing effects of their presence.