Social Facilitation, Social Loafing, and Deindividuation (7B) - Psych & Soc

Which task type is most likely to worsen with observers present: simple or complex?

Complex or unfamiliar tasks. Arousal disrupts learning by strengthening incorrect dominant responses.
Identify the phenomenon: group members pull less hard on a rope when in a larger team.

Social loafing (Ringelmann effect). Individual effort decreases as group size increases.
Which type of task is most likely to worsen with an audience: simple/well-learned or complex/novel?

Complex or novel tasks. Dominant responses are incorrect for new tasks, so arousal hurts performance.
Identify the best prediction: audience present during a practiced skill performance; effect on output?

Performance tends to improve (social facilitation). Well-practiced skills have correct dominant responses, enhanced by audience presence.
What is deindividuation in social psychology?

Reduced self-awareness and restraint due to anonymity in a group. Loss of individual identity weakens internal behavioral controls.
Which concept best explains why crowds can increase impulsive or norm-violating behavior?

Deindividuation. Loss of individual identity reduces inhibitions against antisocial acts.
What is the free-rider problem as it relates to social loafing?

Withholding effort while benefiting from others' work. Individuals exploit collective effort without contributing.
Which option best describes a dominant response in social facilitation theory?

The most likely or habitual response in a given situation. The automatic, well-practiced response that occurs without conscious thought.
Which condition most strongly promotes deindividuation: anonymity or identifiability?

Anonymity. Being unidentifiable removes personal accountability for behavior.
What is evaluation apprehension as a mechanism for social facilitation?

Arousal from concern about being judged by others. Fear of negative evaluation by observers increases physiological arousal.
Which condition increases social loafing more: additive tasks or disjunctive tasks?

Additive tasks. Individual contributions blend together, making it easier to hide reduced effort.
What is social inhibition as the complement of social facilitation?

Worsened performance on difficult or novel tasks due to others' presence. Arousal from others enhances dominant responses, which are incorrect for unfamiliar tasks.
Identify the concept: masked crowd members vandalize property with reduced personal restraint.

Deindividuation. Anonymity in groups reduces self-restraint.
What is the dominant response in social facilitation theory?

The most likely or well-learned response in a given situation. The automatic response that becomes stronger under arousal.
Which concept best explains why a skilled pianist may play better in a recital than alone?

Social facilitation. Well-practiced skills improve with audience-induced arousal.
Identify the predicted effect of masks and darkness on antisocial behavior in a crowd.

Increased deindividuation and greater likelihood of disinhibited behavior. Physical anonymity reduces self-awareness and social inhibitions.
Identify the performance outcome when others are present and the task is simple and well-practiced.

Performance increases (social facilitation). Simple tasks have correct dominant responses, so arousal helps performance.
Identify the condition: others are present but do not evaluate; performance still changes.

Mere presence effect. Performance changes occur even without evaluation, supporting Zajonc's arousal theory.
What is the Ringelmann effect?

Average individual performance decreases as group size increases. Coordination loss and motivation loss both contribute to this effect.
What is evaluation apprehension as a mechanism for social facilitation effects?

Arousal from concern about being judged by others. Fear of negative evaluation drives performance changes in social settings.
What is social inhibition as it relates to being observed by others?

Worsened performance on complex/novel tasks in others' presence. Arousal from observers impairs performance on unfamiliar tasks requiring concentration.
What is the typical behavioral consequence of deindividuation in a crowd?

Increased impulsive behavior and conformity to situational norms. Anonymity fosters disinhibition, amplifying reactions to immediate cues over personal norms.
Which factor most directly promotes deindividuation: anonymity or identifiability?

Anonymity. Being unidentifiable reduces self-awareness and personal accountability.
What is the typical effect of deindividuation on adherence to social norms?

Greater conformity to salient group norms (prosocial or antisocial). People follow whatever norms are most prominent in that context.
What is the sucker effect in group work contexts?

Reducing effort to avoid being exploited by free riders. People reduce effort to avoid doing more than their share for free riders.
Choose the correct label: masked crowd member vandalizes property with little fear of being identified.

Deindividuation. Anonymity from masking reduces self-awareness, enabling antisocial behavior.
What is the mere presence effect in social facilitation?

Others being present increases arousal even without explicit evaluation. Physical presence alone can trigger arousal responses.
What is the free-rider effect as it relates to social loafing?

Withholding effort because others will do the work. Expecting others to carry the load reduces personal effort.
Which option best distinguishes social loafing from diffusion of responsibility?

Loafing is reduced effort; diffusion is reduced felt accountability. Both involve groups, but target different aspects of performance.
What is the key difference between deindividuation and social loafing?

Deindividuation reduces restraint; loafing reduces effort. Deindividuation affects behavior control; loafing affects motivation to contribute effort.
Identify the phenomenon: people in costumes act more aggressively because they feel anonymous.

Deindividuation. Masks reduce personal accountability, enabling antisocial acts.
What is social loafing in group performance situations?

Reduced individual effort when contributions are pooled. People exert less effort in groups when individual contributions cannot be identified.
What does the Yerkes–Dodson law predict about arousal and task performance difficulty?

Arousal helps simple tasks but harms complex tasks. Moderate arousal optimizes performance; too much or too little impairs it.
Identify the concept: a crowd member feels unaccountable and acts aggressively due to anonymity.

Deindividuation. Anonymity in crowds reduces self-awareness and accountability.
What is the sucker effect in group tasks?

Reducing effort to avoid being exploited by free riders. People reduce effort to avoid doing more than their fair share when others slack off.
Identify the effect: a team project leads each member to contribute less than when solo.

Social loafing. Group contexts diffuse responsibility, leading to lower per-person input on shared goals.
What is diffusion of responsibility as a mechanism contributing to social loafing?

Perceived responsibility is shared, so each person feels less accountable. In groups, blame or credit disperses, diminishing personal obligation and encouraging loafing.
Which term describes worse performance on complex or novel tasks when observed?

Social inhibition. Audience presence impairs performance when task requires new learning.
Identify the phenomenon: a novice gives a worse speech when peers watch closely.

Social inhibition. Complex tasks suffer when arousal interferes with processing.
What does the Yerkes–Dodson law state about arousal and performance?

Performance is best at moderate arousal; too low or too high worsens it. Inverted U-shape relationship between arousal and performance.
What is evaluation apprehension as a mechanism affecting performance in groups?

Arousal from concern about being judged by others. Fear of negative evaluation increases physiological arousal.
Which condition most increases social loafing: high or low identifiability of individual effort?

Low identifiability of individual effort. Anonymity allows individuals to hide in the group and slack off.
What is evaluation apprehension as an explanation for social facilitation effects?

Arousal from concern about being judged, which alters performance. Cottrell's theory attributes effects to anxiety over potential criticism, modulating task execution.
What is the typical effect of deindividuation on adherence to social norms?

Greater conformity to salient group norms, not necessarily antisocial behavior. Deindividuation amplifies whatever norms are present.
What is the Yerkes–Dodson law relationship between arousal and performance?

Inverted U: performance rises then falls as arousal increases. Optimal performance occurs at moderate arousal levels.
Which effect is most likely: a skilled typist types faster when coworkers are present?

Social facilitation improvement due to a well-learned simple task. Well-practiced tasks benefit from arousal caused by others' presence.
What is the typical effect of deindividuation on adherence to social norms?

Greater conformity to salient group norms. People follow group behavior more when individual identity is lost.
Identify the effect: masked crowd members vandalize property more than unmasked individuals.

Deindividuation. Masks provide anonymity, reducing self-awareness and promoting antinormative actions in mobs.
What is deindividuation in social psychology?

Loss of self-awareness and restraint due to anonymity in a group. Group settings erode personal identity, lowering inhibitions and self-regulation.
Which factor most directly promotes deindividuation: anonymity or high self-awareness?

Anonymity. Concealed identity removes accountability barriers.
What is the dominant response explanation for social facilitation effects?

Arousal increases the most likely response; helps easy tasks, harms hard tasks. Arousal amplifies habitual responses.
Identify the term for performance improvement caused by the mere presence of others.

Social facilitation. Others' presence enhances performance on simple/well-learned tasks.
What is distraction-conflict theory as an explanation for audience effects on performance?

Attention conflict between task and audience increases arousal. Divided attention between task and observers creates arousal.
What is the key difference between deindividuation and social loafing?

Deindividuation is disinhibition; social loafing is reduced task effort. Both involve groups but target different behaviors entirely.
Identify the phenomenon: a well-practiced musician plays better with an audience than alone.

Social facilitation. Expertise makes performance robust to audience-induced arousal.
Identify the effect: a skilled pianist plays better when watched by an audience.

Social facilitation. For experts, audience arousal strengthens well-rehearsed responses, improving execution.
Identify the condition under which an audience impairs performance according to social facilitation.

When the task is complex or novel (dominant response is incorrect). Novel tasks require non-dominant responses, which arousal suppresses, causing errors under scrutiny.
What is the free-rider problem in the context of social loafing?

Withholding effort because one can benefit from others' work. Taking advantage of group effort without contributing equally.
Identify whether this scenario shows facilitation or loafing: a runner trains harder in a group workout.

Social facilitation. Others' presence enhances well-learned running behavior.
Which factor typically reduces social loafing: meaningful task or trivial task?

Meaningful task. Personal investment in outcomes counteracts loafing tendencies.
Identify the phenomenon: in a group project, one member contributes less because effort is hidden.

Social loafing. Anonymity enables free-riding when individual output isn't tracked.
Identify the concept: group members work harder when their effort is indispensable to success.

Task importance or indispensability reduces loafing. When success depends on everyone's contribution, social loafing decreases significantly.
Which condition most promotes deindividuation: accountability or anonymity?

Anonymity. Being unidentifiable reduces fear of consequences for actions.
What is a key intervention that reduces social loafing in groups?

Make individual contributions identifiable and evaluated. Accountability prevents hiding in the group.
What is the free-rider effect in group tasks?

Withholding effort because others will carry the task. Individuals reduce effort expecting others to compensate for their lack of contribution.
Which type of task is most likely to worsen with an audience: simple or complex?

Complex, difficult, or novel tasks. Unfamiliar tasks require focus that arousal disrupts.
What is deindividuation in social psychology?

Reduced self-awareness and restraint due to anonymity in a group. Group anonymity weakens personal identity and normal inhibitions.
What does social facilitation predict for complex or novel tasks when others are watching?

Decreased performance due to increased arousal and errors. Arousal interferes with non-dominant responses.
Identify the term for improved performance when working near others doing the same task.

Coaction effect. Simultaneous task performance creates motivating social comparison.
What is a disjunctive task in group performance research?

Group performance depends on the best member's performance. Like problem-solving where only the smartest member needs to find the solution.
What is deindividuation in social psychology?

Reduced self-awareness and restraint, increasing impulsive behavior. Loss of individual identity in groups reduces self-regulation.
Identify the key condition that increases social loafing: individual contributions are identifiable or anonymous?

Anonymous or unidentifiable individual contributions. Lack of accountability removes motivation to exert full effort.
What is deindividuation in social psychology?

Loss of self-awareness and reduced restraint in a group. Group immersion diminishes individual identity.
Which option best describes groupthink as a decision-making outcome in cohesive groups?

Pressure for consensus reduces critical evaluation of alternatives. Desire for harmony overrides realistic appraisal of options.
Which mechanism explains social facilitation by increased arousal in the presence of others?

Zajonc: presence of others increases arousal, strengthening the dominant response. Arousal amplifies whatever response is most practiced or natural.
What is the key behavioral consequence of deindividuation?

Increased impulsive and norm-driven behavior. Reduced self-focus allows situational cues to guide behavior.
Which type of task is most likely to improve with an audience: simple/well-learned or complex/novel?

Simple or well-learned tasks. Dominant responses are correct for well-practiced tasks, so arousal helps.
Which two situational factors most commonly promote deindividuation?

Anonymity and high arousal (often within a large group). Feeling unidentifiable plus excitement weakens self-control.
Which condition most promotes deindividuation: anonymity or identifiability?

Anonymity. Being unidentifiable reduces accountability and self-regulation.
Identify the phenomenon: masked crowd members vandalize property more than unmasked individuals.

Deindividuation. Anonymity reduces self-awareness, enabling antisocial behavior.
What is the mere presence effect in the context of social facilitation theories?

Others' presence alone can increase arousal even without explicit evaluation. Zajonc emphasized innate physiological activation from any co-actors, independent of judgment fears.
Identify whether this scenario shows facilitation or loafing: group members slack when effort is pooled.

Social loafing. Pooled effort allows individuals to reduce contribution.
Which factor most directly promotes deindividuation: anonymity or high accountability?

Anonymity. Being unidentifiable reduces personal accountability.
What is social facilitation in terms of performance when others are present?

Improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks in others' presence. Arousal from others' presence enhances dominant responses.
Identify the key condition for social facilitation in the mere presence effect.

Presence of others increases physiological arousal. Physical presence alone triggers arousal, regardless of interaction.
Which term names the most likely response in a given situation, central to Zajonc's model?

Dominant response. In Zajonc's model, arousal amplifies this habitual or prepotent action, explaining facilitation effects.
What is the dominant response in social facilitation theory?

The most likely or habitual response in a given situation. Well-practiced behaviors emerge under arousal.
What is social inhibition as predicted by the social facilitation framework?

Worsened performance on complex or novel tasks in others' presence. Arousal from observers hinders learning or executing non-dominant responses required for difficult tasks.
What is evaluation apprehension as a mechanism for social facilitation effects?

Arousal from concern about being judged by others. Fear of negative evaluation drives performance changes.
What is evaluation apprehension in the context of performance in front of others?

Arousal from fear of being judged that alters performance. Concern about others' judgments creates arousal affecting performance.
What is the Ringelmann effect in group tasks?

Average individual productivity decreases as group size increases. Named after researcher who found rope-pulling effort decreased in groups.
Identify the predicted outcome: experts doing a routine skill in front of a crowd.

Performance improves (social facilitation on well-learned tasks). Experts' dominant responses are correct, so arousal helps.
What is evaluation apprehension as it relates to social facilitation?

Arousal from concern about being judged by others. Fear of negative evaluation by observers increases arousal and affects performance.
Which factor in deindividuation most directly reduces self-monitoring: self-awareness or arousal?

Reduced self-awareness. Loss of self-focus prevents normal behavioral monitoring.
Identify the predicted outcome: a novice learning a new skill while being watched.

Performance worsens (social inhibition on novel/complex tasks). Novices' dominant responses are often errors, so arousal hurts.
What is social inhibition as the counterpart to social facilitation?

Worsened performance on complex or novel tasks in others' presence. Arousal from others disrupts performance on difficult, unfamiliar tasks.
Which option best reduces social loafing: shared grade or individually tracked contributions?

Individually tracked contributions. Accountability prevents free-riding and increases individual effort.
Which change most directly reduces social loafing during a group task?

Make individual contributions identifiable and evaluated. Accountability prevents free-riding on others' efforts.
What is evaluation apprehension as a mechanism for audience effects?

Arousal from concern about being judged by others. Fear of negative evaluation creates the arousal that drives audience effects.
What is social facilitation in terms of how an audience affects task performance?

Improved performance on simple/well-learned tasks in others' presence. Arousal from others' presence enhances dominant (well-practiced) responses.
Which term describes improved task performance due to mere presence, without evaluation?

Mere presence effect. Physical presence alone can trigger arousal.
What is deindividuation in social psychology?

Loss of self-awareness and restraint in a group, often with anonymity. Group immersion and anonymity reduce individual identity and inhibitions.
Choose the correct match: reduced effort in groups is social loafing or deindividuation?

Social loafing. Loafing is about effort reduction, not loss of self-awareness.
What is social facilitation in terms of performance when others are present?

Improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks in others' presence. Arousal from others enhances already-strong responses on easy tasks.
What is social inhibition as predicted by social facilitation theory?

Worsened performance on novel or complex tasks due to others' presence. Arousal impairs performance when dominant response is incorrect for new tasks.
What is deindividuation in terms of self-awareness and behavior in groups?

Reduced self-awareness and restraint, increasing impulsive/norm-driven behavior. Loss of individual identity leads to disinhibited group behavior.
Identify the group feature that typically reduces social loafing the most.

High task importance and strong group cohesion (high accountability). Members work harder when they value the task and each other.
What is the free-rider effect as it relates to social loafing?

Withholding effort because others will do the work. Individuals rely on others to carry the workload without contributing equally.
Which option best contrasts deindividuation with social loafing in group settings?

Deindividuation changes restraint; loafing changes effort. Both are group phenomena affecting different behavioral aspects.
What is the difference between social facilitation and social inhibition?

Facilitation improves simple tasks; inhibition impairs complex tasks. Both involve arousal, but outcomes depend on task difficulty.
What is deindividuation in terms of self-awareness and behavior in groups?

Reduced self-awareness and restraint, increasing impulsive acts. Loss of individual identity in groups leads to disinhibited, often antisocial behavior.
Which outcome best characterizes deindividuation: stronger personal morals or stronger group norms?

Stronger influence of group norms over personal standards. Individual identity loss makes people conform to situational cues.
Which option best describes the Ringelmann effect related to social loafing?

Average individual effort decreases as group size increases. Discovered in rope-pulling experiments, it shows coordination losses and motivation drops with scale.
Which option best explains social loafing: diffusion of responsibility or group polarization?

Diffusion of responsibility. Responsibility spreads across group members.
Which concept best explains why co-actors can increase arousal even without direct evaluation?

Mere presence effect. Others' physical presence alone can trigger arousal responses.
What mechanism best explains social facilitation according to Zajonc: arousal or distraction?

Arousal increases the dominant response. Zajonc proposed that mere presence creates arousal, which strengthens dominant responses.
What is the Ringelmann effect in the context of group performance?

Average individual output decreases as group size increases. Coordination losses and motivation losses compound.
What is the sucker effect in group work contexts?

Reducing effort to avoid being exploited when others are perceived as loafing. Perceived inequity prompts matching low effort to prevent being the sole hard worker.
What is social facilitation in terms of performance change in the presence of others?

Improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks when others are present. Arousal from being observed enhances dominant responses.
Which concept best explains why a novice may perform worse on a new skill while being observed?

Social inhibition. Observation anxiety disrupts performance on unmastered skills.
Which condition most increases deindividuation: high anonymity or high identifiability?

High anonymity. Being unidentifiable removes accountability for actions.
Identify the key situational factor that most strongly promotes deindividuation.

Anonymity (often combined with arousal and group immersion). Masks or crowds obscure identity, heightening immersion and reducing self-monitoring.
Identify the predicted effect of an audience on a well-practiced, simple task.

Performance improves (faster or more accurate). Well-learned tasks have dominant responses that arousal enhances.
What is social loafing in group performance situations?

Reduced individual effort when working in a group. People exert less effort when their contribution seems dispensable.
Identify the correct prediction: audience presence increases arousal, which strengthens what type of response?

The dominant (most likely) response. Well-practiced behaviors emerge more readily under high arousal.
What is the free rider problem as it relates to social loafing?

Withholding effort because one expects others to carry the workload. Assumes others will compensate for one's reduced effort.
Which group characteristic increases social loafing most: larger group size or smaller group size?

Larger group size. More members means less individual accountability.
What is social loafing in group work settings?

Reduced individual effort when working in a group. People exert less effort when their individual contribution is not identifiable.
What is the Yerkes–Dodson law relating arousal to performance on tasks?

Moderate arousal optimizes performance; too low or too high impairs it. Performance peaks at intermediate arousal levels, following inverted-U curve.
Identify the performance outcome when others are present and the task is difficult or unfamiliar.

Performance decreases (social inhibition). Complex tasks lack correct dominant responses, so arousal hurts performance.
What is social facilitation in terms of performance change in the presence of others?

Improved dominant responses when others are present. Presence of others enhances performance on tasks where the dominant response is correct.
Identify the factor that most reduces social loafing: identifiable or anonymous individual contributions?

Identifiable individual contributions. Accountability through identification motivates individual effort.
What is the key mechanism behind social loafing in many MCAT explanations?

Diffusion of responsibility for the group's outcome. Individual effort decreases when responsibility is shared among many.
Identify the term for shifting personal responsibility to the group, enabling harmful actions.

Diffusion of responsibility. Group membership dilutes individual accountability for actions.
Which type of task is most likely to improve when others are watching: simple or complex?

Simple or well-learned tasks. Arousal enhances dominant responses, which are correct for easy tasks.
Which tasks are typically improved by social facilitation: well-learned or novel tasks?

Well-learned (simple) tasks. Dominant responses are correct for simple tasks, so presence improves performance.
What is social facilitation in social psychology?

Improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks in others' presence. Presence of others enhances arousal, facilitating dominant responses on easy tasks, leading to better performance.
What is social facilitation in terms of how an audience affects performance?

Improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks in others' presence. Arousal from being watched enhances dominant responses on familiar tasks.
What is deindividuation in terms of self-awareness and behavior in groups?

Reduced self-awareness and restraint, increasing impulsive behavior. Loss of individual identity in groups weakens personal standards.
What is social loafing in group performance settings?

Reduced individual effort when working in a group versus alone. Individual contributions become less identifiable in groups.
What is the mere presence effect in social facilitation research?

Others' presence can change performance even without evaluation. Physical presence alone creates arousal, regardless of judgment concerns.
Which option best distinguishes deindividuation from social loafing?

Deindividuation changes restraint; loafing reduces effort on group tasks. While both involve groups, the former erodes inhibitions broadly, unlike task-specific effort reduction.
Which option best distinguishes social facilitation from social loafing?

Facilitation: presence affects task performance; loafing: effort drops in groups. Facilitation involves arousal impacting individual skill execution; loafing concerns collective motivation.
Which task type is most likely to worsen with an audience present: simple or complex?

Complex, novel, or poorly learned tasks. Audience arousal triggers incorrect dominant responses on unfamiliar tasks.
Which factor most directly promotes deindividuation: anonymity or individual identification?

Anonymity. Being unidentifiable reduces self-awareness and accountability, enabling impulsive behavior.
Identify the effect: a novice pianist makes more mistakes when watched by an audience.

Social inhibition (social facilitation framework). Beginners' non-dominant skills falter under heightened arousal from observers.
What is social facilitation in terms of how an audience affects individual performance?

Improved performance on simple tasks and impaired performance on complex tasks. Arousal from others' presence enhances well-learned responses but impairs new/difficult ones.
What is social loafing in group performance settings?

Reduced individual effort when working collectively. People exert less effort when their individual contribution is not identifiable.
What is social loafing in group performance situations?

Reduced individual effort when working in a group. People exert less effort when their individual contribution is unidentifiable.
Which phenomenon best explains worse group output when rewards are shared equally regardless of effort?

Social loafing. Equal rewards regardless of contribution incentivizes minimal effort.
Identify the concept: masked individuals in a crowd engage in vandalism they would avoid alone.

Deindividuation. Anonymity in groups reduces self-restraint against antisocial acts.
Which concept best explains social loafing when individuals feel their effort is not identifiable?

Reduced accountability due to low identifiability of individual contributions. People exert less effort when their contribution can't be traced.
Which concept best explains reduced self-evaluation when attention shifts from self to the group?

Reduced self-awareness (a core component of deindividuation). Attention to group overrides personal standards.
Identify the best prediction: audience present during a new complex task; effect on performance?

Performance tends to worsen (social facilitation). Complex new tasks have incorrect dominant responses, worsened by audience arousal.
Identify the group-task effect: In a conjunctive task, who determines group performance?

The weakest-performing member. The group can only go as fast as its slowest member in sequential tasks.
Which concept best fits: A team member exerts less effort because their work is not tracked.

Social loafing. Lack of individual accountability reduces motivation to contribute fully.
Which situational factor most directly promotes deindividuation: anonymity or identifiability?

Anonymity (low identifiability). Being unidentifiable removes social constraints on behavior.
Which condition most strongly reduces social loafing: identifiable or anonymous contributions?

Identifiable individual contributions. Accountability through identification motivates individual effort.
What is the key distinction between social loafing and deindividuation?

Loafing: reduced effort; deindividuation: reduced self-control and norms. Loafing is about effort reduction; deindividuation is about identity loss.
What does Zajonc's theory predict about arousal and dominant responses in social facilitation?

Presence increases arousal, strengthening the dominant response. Arousal amplifies whatever response is most automatic for that task.
What is the dominant response in social facilitation theory?

The most likely response for a given task and person. The behavior or response that comes most naturally or automatically to an individual.
Which task type is most likely to improve with an audience due to social facilitation?

Simple, routine, or well-learned tasks. Arousal enhances dominant responses on familiar tasks.
Identify the key arousal-based principle behind social facilitation effects on performance.

Arousal increases the likelihood of the dominant response. Zajonc's core principle linking arousal to behavior.
Which condition most promotes deindividuation: high anonymity or high identifiability?

High anonymity. Being unidentifiable removes social evaluation concerns.
What is the mere presence effect in social facilitation?

Others' presence increases arousal even without explicit evaluation. Physical presence alone triggers arousal response.
Which scenario best exemplifies social loafing: group rope pull or solo rope pull with identical effort?

Group rope pull with reduced individual effort. Individual effort decreases when pooled with others' untracked efforts.
Which term describes improved performance on simple or practiced tasks when observed?

Social facilitation. Audience presence enhances dominant responses on well-practiced tasks.
What is social facilitation in the context of performance with others present?

Improved performance on well-learned tasks due to others' presence. Arousal from others' presence enhances dominant responses on familiar tasks.
Identify the concept: adopting group norms more strongly when personal identity is obscured.

Deindividuation. Anonymity shifts behavior from personal to group standards.
Which type of task is most likely to worsen when others are watching: simple or complex?

Complex, novel, or not-yet-mastered tasks. Arousal interferes with non-dominant responses needed for difficult tasks.
What is social loafing in group performance settings?

Reduced individual effort when working in a group versus alone. Individuals slack off in collectives because contributions seem less critical or noticeable.
What is the sucker effect in group tasks?

Reducing effort to avoid being exploited when others are loafing. Protective strategy against unequal effort distribution.
Identify the phenomenon: masked crowd members vandalize more than when faces are visible.

Deindividuation. Anonymity removes personal accountability for antisocial acts.
What is social facilitation in terms of performance changes due to others being present?

Improved performance on simple tasks and impaired performance on complex tasks. Arousal enhances dominant responses - helping practiced tasks but hurting new ones.
Which option best defines diffusion of responsibility in groups?

Perceived reduced personal accountability as group size increases. Individual responsibility feels diluted when shared among many.
What does Zajonc's dominant response theory predict about audience presence and behavior?

Presence increases dominant responses; helps easy tasks, hurts difficult tasks. Arousal strengthens whatever response is most practiced or automatic.
Which term describes improved performance due to increased arousal from others' presence, not rewards?

Social facilitation (arousal-based performance change). Distinguishes arousal effects from motivation or competition effects.
What is the Yerkes–Dodson law relationship between arousal and performance?

Inverted-U: moderate arousal maximizes performance. Too little or too much arousal impairs performance; optimal level is in the middle.
Identify the concept: a person bikes faster when competing in front of others on a familiar route.

Social facilitation. Competition and audience enhance performance on well-practiced skills.
Identify the condition under which an audience improves performance according to social facilitation.

When the task is simple or well-practiced (dominant response is correct). For mastered skills, arousal boosts correct dominant actions, enhancing output under observation.
What does Zajonc's theory propose is increased by the mere presence of others?

Physiological arousal. Zajonc proposed mere presence triggers arousal, affecting performance.
Which concept reduces social loafing by making each member's output measurable?

Individual accountability (high identifiability). Making contributions visible prevents hiding behind group effort.
Which task type is most likely to improve with an audience present: simple or complex?

Simple or well-learned tasks. Audience arousal enhances dominant responses, which are correct for familiar tasks.
Which setting produces more social loafing: individual accountability or pooled output?

Pooled output (low accountability). When individual efforts cannot be distinguished, people tend to reduce their effort.
Identify the concept: A masked crowd member vandalizes due to lowered self-awareness.

Deindividuation. Anonymity in crowds reduces self-awareness and normal behavioral restraints.
In Zajonc's model, what does increased arousal do to the dominant response?

It increases the likelihood of the dominant response. Arousal makes the most practiced response more likely to occur.
Identify the term for decreased effort when individual contributions are not identifiable.

Social loafing. When individual efforts can't be measured, people reduce their effort.
What is the Ringelmann effect regarding group size and individual productivity?

Average individual effort decreases as group size increases. Named after rope-pulling studies showing coordination loss in groups.
What is the free-rider problem in the context of social loafing?

Withholding effort while benefiting from the group's outcome. This occurs when members exploit collective goods without proportional input, relying on others.
What is the sucker effect as a cause of reduced effort in groups?

Reducing effort to avoid being exploited by free riders. People reduce effort to avoid doing more than their fair share.
What is social loafing in group performance?

Reduced individual effort when working in a group versus alone. Occurs when individual contributions can't be identified or evaluated.
What is deindividuation in terms of self-awareness and behavior in groups?

Reduced self-awareness and restraint leading to disinhibited behavior. Loss of individual identity in groups removes normal behavioral constraints.
What is social loafing in group performance situations?

Reduced individual effort when working in a group versus alone. People exert less effort when their contribution seems dispensable.
Which mechanism links group size to reduced helping: diffusion of responsibility or evaluation apprehension?

Diffusion of responsibility. More potential helpers means less personal obligation to intervene.
Which two psychological changes are most central to deindividuation?

Reduced self-awareness and reduced accountability. These shifts diminish internal controls, enabling behaviors against usual standards.
What is an additive task in group performance research?

Group output equals the sum of each member's contributions. Like tug-of-war, where individual efforts combine to produce total output.
Identify the key difference between social facilitation and social inhibition.

Facilitation improves easy tasks; inhibition impairs difficult tasks. Both stem from arousal but affect performance oppositely based on task difficulty.
Identify the concept: each member pulls less hard on a rope in a group than when alone.

Social loafing. Individual effort decreases when pooled with others' contributions.
Which group condition most increases social loafing: individual outputs identifiable or anonymous?

Anonymous (non-identifiable) individual contributions. Lack of identifiability removes accountability pressures.
What is social facilitation in terms of performance change when others are present?

Improved performance on well-learned tasks due to others' presence. Arousal from others enhances dominant responses on familiar tasks.
What is social loafing in group work compared with working alone?

Reduced individual effort when contributions are pooled in a group. Diffusion of responsibility decreases motivation when efforts merge.
Which option best distinguishes social loafing from deindividuation: reduced effort or reduced self-awareness?

Social loafing = reduced effort; deindividuation = reduced self-awareness. Loafing is motivational; deindividuation is identity-based.
Identify the main mechanism that enables social loafing in many group tasks.

Diffusion of responsibility due to low identifiability. When individual efforts can't be distinguished, responsibility spreads across members.
What change most reliably reduces social loafing in a group task?

Make individual contributions identifiable and evaluated. Accountability and evaluation of individual efforts eliminate the anonymity enabling loafing.
Which intervention most directly reduces deindividuation in online commenting environments?

Increase identifiability and accountability (e.g., real names, moderation). Personal identification restores self-awareness and accountability.
What does Zajonc's theory state about arousal and the dominant response in social facilitation?

Others' presence increases arousal, making the dominant response more likely. Zajonc proposed that audience-induced drive strengthens the most probable behavior in one's repertoire.
What is the difference between an audience effect and a coaction effect?

Audience: observers present; coaction: others perform the same task. Audience watches passively; coaction involves parallel performance.
Identify the phenomenon: in a large group, each member pulls less hard on a rope than alone.

Social loafing. Individual contributions become unidentifiable in group effort.
Which manipulation most directly reduces social loafing: anonymity or identifiability?

Increasing identifiability of individual contributions. Making individual efforts visible creates accountability and reduces loafing.
Which condition most strongly reduces social loafing: identifiable or anonymous effort?

Identifiable individual effort. Accountability prevents hiding in the crowd.
Which factor most directly increases deindividuation: anonymity or identifiability?

Anonymity. Being unidentifiable reduces self-awareness and accountability.
What is evaluation apprehension as a mechanism affecting performance in front of others?

Arousal from concern about being judged by others. Fear of negative evaluation creates performance anxiety.
Identify the concept: a novice musician makes more mistakes during a recital than in practice alone.

Social inhibition. Audience pressure disrupts performance on unpracticed skills.
Which option best describes the dominant response: well-learned or newly learned behavior?

Well-learned, most likely response in that situation. Dominant responses are automatic, habitual behaviors in familiar situations.
Identify the term for group decisions becoming more extreme after group discussion.

Group polarization. Groups amplify initial attitudes through discussion and conformity.
What is diffusion of responsibility in the context of social loafing?

Perceived responsibility decreases as group size increases. Individuals feel less personally responsible in larger groups, reducing effort.
What is the Ringelmann effect as it relates to group size and productivity?

Average individual productivity decreases as group size increases. Coordination loss and motivation loss increase with group size.
Which condition most increases social loafing: identifiable or anonymous individual output?

Anonymous or non-identifiable individual output. People loaf more when their effort can't be traced to them.
Identify the term for reduced individual effort when working in a group versus alone.

Social loafing. People exert less effort when their contribution is pooled and anonymous.
Identify the expected effort change when a group's goal is highly meaningful to members.

Less social loafing; individual effort tends to increase. High task importance motivates individual effort despite group setting.
Identify the best intervention to reduce social loafing in a team task.

Increase identifiability by evaluating and rewarding individual contributions. Making individual efforts visible prevents hiding in the group.
Which group composition generally reduces social loafing: strangers or cohesive group members?

Cohesive group members. Social bonds create mutual accountability that prevents loafing.
Which factor most increases prosocial restraint in groups: anonymity or clear personal accountability?

Clear personal accountability. Identifiability maintains self-awareness and normative behavior.
What is the primary cause of social loafing emphasized on the MCAT?

Diffusion of responsibility and reduced accountability. Individual contributions get lost in the group, reducing personal accountability.
Which outcome is most likely with an audience: simple task vs complex task performance?

Simple improves; complex worsens. Arousal helps simple tasks but hinders complex ones.
Identify the key psychological change that links deindividuation to disinhibition.

Reduced self-evaluation and reduced concern for social evaluation. Loss of self-focus removes internal and external behavioral controls.
What is evaluation apprehension as an explanation for social facilitation effects?

Arousal from concern about being judged by others affects performance. Fear of negative evaluation creates performance-altering arousal.
Which tasks are typically impaired by social facilitation: well-learned or novel tasks?

Novel (complex) tasks. Dominant responses are often incorrect for complex tasks, so presence impairs performance.
Which task type is most likely to improve with an audience present: well-learned or novel?

Well-learned (simple) tasks. Arousal from others enhances already-dominant correct responses.
Which situational factor most promotes deindividuation: anonymity or identifiability?

Anonymity. Being unidentifiable reduces self-awareness and accountability.
Which concept best fits this scenario: people yell insults online under a pseudonym in a large forum?

Deindividuation. Anonymity in large groups removes accountability for behavior.
What is the primary mechanism proposed to explain social loafing?

Diffusion of responsibility lowers perceived individual accountability. Shared responsibility reduces personal motivation to contribute.
Identify the best prediction: group members pull less when their force is not measured individually.

Social loafing increases due to reduced identifiability. Classic example of loafing when individual effort is unmeasured.
What is the key difference between social facilitation and social loafing?

Facilitation changes performance via arousal; loafing reduces effort in groups. Opposite effects: presence increases arousal vs. decreases effort.
Which condition most strongly increases social loafing: identifiable or unidentifiable individual output?

Unidentifiable individual output. Anonymity enables effort reduction without consequences.
What is a conjunctive task in group performance research?

Group performance depends on the weakest member's performance. Like a relay race where one slow runner limits the entire team's speed.
What is the difference between an audience effect and a coaction effect?

Audience: observers present; coaction: others perform same task nearby. Both involve others' presence but differ in whether others are performing.
Which option best reduces social loafing: identifiable or anonymous individual output?

Identifiable individual output. Accountability prevents individuals from hiding their reduced effort in the group.
Which task type is most likely to worsen with an audience due to social facilitation?

Complex, novel, or not well-learned tasks. High arousal disrupts performance on difficult tasks.
What is the free-rider effect in the context of social loafing?

Withholding effort because one expects others to do the work. Rational choice to conserve effort while benefiting from group output.
What is evaluation apprehension as it relates to audience effects on performance?

Arousal from concern about being judged by others. Fear of negative evaluation creates performance-affecting arousal.
Identify the concept: masked crowd members act impulsively and violate personal norms.

Deindividuation. Anonymity in groups leads to loss of self-awareness and normative behavior.
What is diffusion of responsibility as it relates to social loafing?

Perceived responsibility is spread across group members, reducing effort. Feeling less personally accountable when others share the task.
Which intervention best reduces social loafing: shared group grade or individual accountability?

Individual accountability for contributions. Making contributions visible prevents hiding in the group.
What is evaluation apprehension as a mechanism for social facilitation effects?

Arousal from concern about being judged by others. Fear of negative evaluation by observers increases arousal and affects performance.
What does Zajonc's theory state about arousal and the dominant response in social facilitation?

Others increase arousal, strengthening the dominant response. Arousal amplifies whatever response is most likely to occur (dominant).
What is social facilitation in terms of performance changes due to the presence of others?

Improved performance on easy tasks and impaired performance on difficult tasks. Arousal from others enhances easy tasks but disrupts complex ones.
Which outcome is most associated with deindividuation: norm adherence or disinhibited behavior?

Disinhibited behavior (reduced restraint). Loss of individual identity removes normal behavioral constraints.
What is the typical behavioral consequence of deindividuation on normative behavior?

Greater conformity to salient group norms. People follow group standards more strongly when individual identity is lost.
What is the Ringelmann effect in studies of group effort?

Individual effort decreases as group size increases. Named after researcher who found rope-pulling effort drops in groups.
Identify the concept: group members feel less personally responsible for harmful acts.

Diffusion of responsibility. Shared blame reduces individual guilt for negative outcomes.
What is social loafing in terms of individual effort during group work?

Reduced individual effort when working in a group versus alone. People exert less effort in groups due to diffused responsibility.
What is the sucker effect in group tasks?

Reducing effort to avoid being exploited when others are loafing. Self-protective response to perceived inequity.
What is the diffusion of responsibility explanation for social loafing?

Perceived responsibility is spread across group members. Individuals feel less accountable when responsibility is shared among many.
What is the dominant response explanation of social facilitation?

Arousal increases the likelihood of the dominant response. Audience presence creates arousal that makes habitual behaviors more likely.
Which effect is most likely: a skilled pianist plays worse when watched during a new piece?

Social facilitation impairment due to task complexity/novelty. Complex/novel tasks suffer when arousal from audience increases.
What is the sucker effect in group work?

Reducing effort to avoid being exploited when others are loafing. Protective strategy against being the only one working hard.
What does Zajonc's theory predict about arousal and the dominant response in social facilitation?

Others' presence increases arousal, strengthening the dominant response. Arousal amplifies whatever response is most practiced or automatic.
Which concept best explains why anonymity can increase antisocial behavior in crowds?

Deindividuation. Loss of identity in crowds reduces self-regulatory behavior.
What is the Ringelmann effect in studies of group effort?

Individual effort decreases as group size increases. Classic finding showing coordination loss in groups.
Identify the predicted effect of an audience on a novel or complex task.

Performance worsens (slower or more errors). Complex tasks lack dominant responses, so arousal impairs them.
Identify one clear structural change that reduces social loafing in groups.

Make individual contributions identifiable and evaluated. Tracking outputs increases accountability, countering anonymity that enables reduced exertion.
What is social facilitation in terms of how an audience affects individual performance?

Improved performance on simple tasks and impaired performance on complex tasks. Arousal from others' presence enhances dominant responses.
Which condition most strongly increases social loafing: individual or pooled group output?

Pooled group output (low identifiability of individual contributions). Individual efforts become invisible when combined with others'.
What is the mere presence effect in social facilitation research?

Others being present (even without evaluation) can increase arousal. Physical presence alone triggers arousal, regardless of judgment.
Identify the group factor that most directly increases social loafing when held constant.

Larger group size (more anonymity and less accountability). Bigger teams dilute identifiability, fostering diffusion of responsibility and free-riding.
What is the mere presence effect in social facilitation research?

Arousal and performance change from others' presence without evaluation. Presence alone causes arousal, even without possibility of judgment.
What is diffusion of responsibility as a mechanism contributing to social loafing?

Perceived personal responsibility decreases as group size increases. More people means less individual accountability for outcomes.
What is social facilitation in terms of performance changes when others are present?

Improved performance on well-learned tasks due to others' presence. Arousal from others enhances dominant responses, which are correct for familiar tasks.
What is the sucker effect as a contributor to social loafing?

Reducing effort to avoid being exploited when others are loafing. Matching others' low effort to avoid unfair exploitation.
Identify the term for improved performance when others are doing the same task nearby.

Coaction effect. Working alongside others on same task enhances performance.
What is deindividuation in social psychology?

Loss of self-awareness and reduced restraint in groups. Anonymity and group immersion reduce personal accountability and inhibitions.
Which type of task is most likely to improve with an audience: simple or complex?

Simple or well-learned tasks. Well-practiced tasks have dominant responses that arousal enhances.
What is the primary behavioral consequence of deindividuation?

Increased impulsive or norm-driven behavior and reduced self-control. Loss of self-awareness weakens internal restraints.
What is the dominant response explanation for social facilitation effects?

Presence of others increases arousal, strengthening the dominant response. Arousal amplifies our most practiced (dominant) behavioral tendencies.

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