Level of Motivation in Social Facilitation of a Simple Task

Abstract

To determine the effect of level of motivation on the social facilitation of a well-learned behavior, 45 college students were divided into motivational groups (high, medium, low) and given an opportunity to pull a lever in the presence and absence of an audience (a passive observing person). The results indicated a significant interaction between the Motivation and Social Condition (Alone, Audience) factors when speed of pulling was the dependent variable. There was no significant difference among the motivational groups when they performed alone. There was a significant difference among the motivational groups when performing with an audience present: the high motivational group performed significantly slower than either the medium or low motivational group. These findings suggest that social facilitation of a well-learned behavior depends upon Ss' level of motivational reactivity.