EFFECT OF AN AUDIENCE ON LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE OF A COMPLEX MOTOR SKILL

Based on social facilitation theory and drive theory, the effect of 10 passive spectators on high anxiety (HA) and low anxiety (LA) Ss (N = 519) learning and performing a complex motor task was examined. Coincident timing was learned alone or in the presence of an audience by 48 HA and 48 LA Ss. A 2 × 2 × 3 factorial design was used for the learning phase, while a 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design was used in the performance phase. Palmar sweat prints were taken periodically as an indication of the arousal level. Results were consistent with social facilitation theory when learning and performing a complex motor task. Anxiety and audience presence did not interact in a manner consistent with drive theory or previous research. HA Ss performed better than LA Ss independent of the audience factor after initial learning had occurred. (28 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.