Lecture Script:

Today, we'll explore the concept of social facilitation in psychology, which refers to the tendency for people to perform differently when in the presence of others compared to when they are alone. The main idea is that the presence of others can enhance an individual's performance on simple or well-practiced tasks but may hinder performance on complex or new tasks. This phenomenon was first studied by Norman Triplett in 1898 when he observed that cyclists rode faster when racing against others than when cycling alone. For instance, a student might solve math problems more quickly when working in a group but struggle with a new type of question when under observation. Understanding social facilitation helps us recognize how group dynamics can impact individual performance in various settings.

Key Points:

• Social facilitation describes how the presence of others affects individual performance.
• Performance generally improves on simple tasks but can decline on complex tasks.
• Example: Cyclists ride faster in groups; students solve familiar problems faster in groups.

Sample Answer:

Social facilitation is a psychological phenomenon where the presence of others influences how we perform tasks. The main idea is that being observed can improve performance on simple tasks but might hinder it on complex ones. For example, cyclists were found to ride faster when racing against others than when alone. Similarly, a student might perform better on easy math problems in a group setting. In conclusion, social facilitation highlights the impact of group dynamics on individual performance, showing that whether the presence of others is beneficial or detrimental depends on the task complexity.