the arousal that results when other people are present and our performance can be evaluated; this arousal enhances our performance on simple tasks but impairs our performance on complex tasks

the improvement in a person's task performance when in the presence of other people. (615)

When the mere presence of others enhances performance. go to glossary index

Any enhancement of a motivated behavior in which individuals do the same thing with some degree of mutual stimulation and consequent coordination.

The enhancement of dominant responses due to the presence of others.

A process whereby the presence of others enhances performance on easy tasks but impairs performance on difficult tasks.

The tendency to perform better in the presence of others than when alone. This facilitating effect works primarily for simple or well-practiced tasks.

The phenomenon in which an organism performs responses more rapidly when other members of its species are present.

Social facilitation is the tendency for people to be aroused into better performance on simple tasks (or tasks at which they are expert) when under the eye of others, rather than while they are alone. Complex tasks (or tasks at which people are not skilled), however, are often performed in an inferior manner in such situations. This effect has been demonstrated in a variety of species.