Audiences Can Inhibit or Facilitate Competitive Behavior

Abstract

Individuals played a Prisoner's Dilemna Game against a confederate. Individuals with a dominant response of competition when playing under alone conditions were exposed to a Previous Winners, Human Relations, or No Audience condition. Results showed that compared to the No Audience, the Previous Winners audience facilitated and the Human Relations audience inhibited competition. Discussion suggested that cognitive and learning models could account for the findings and that more research should be devoted to inhibition effects. Examples were given of inhibition effects that may occur within and outside the laboratory.