Although social facilitation has been extensively studied over the last 50 years in various domains, it has largely been understudied in the context of team sports. A total of 8950 National Basketball Association (NBA) games were investigated to assess how a team’s skill level and experience interact with audience size to predict performance. More specifically, audience size was measured in two ways: as the number of people in attendance at each game and whether the game was locally televised (fewer television viewers) or nationally televised (more television viewers). Contrary to expectations, underdog teams performed significantly better with larger audiences, an effect not found for their favoured counterparts. Also contrary to expectations, teams less experienced than their opponents performed significantly better in nationally televised games than in locally televised games. This effect was not found for more experienced teams. Additionally, no teams experienced a decrease in performance. These results add important findings to the information regarding sports and social facilitation and provide insight into team selection for high stakes games. They also enhance the sporting literature base which is considerably lacking in its assessment of social facilitation effects.

No description available.

Thesis (M. Nur.)--University of Washington, 1981. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [73]-76). Also issued in print.

Thesis (M. Nur.)--University of Washington, 1981. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [73]-76).

No description available.

Previous research has indicated that exercising with other people improves interest and engagement in physical activity (e.g., Christensen, Schmidt, Budtz-Jorgensen, & Avlund, 2006; Estabrooks & Carron, 1999). However, the degree of socializing with other people engaged in by exercisers has not been manipulated in previous studies. In the present study, the amount of socializing during exercise was manipulated in order to evaluate the effect of social connection on motivation to exercise. Two perspectives on the role of socializing in exercising were considered and discussed – Social Facilitation (Zajonc, 1965) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2000). In order to test the importance of social contact during exercise, previously inactive women between the ages of 18-30 were randomly assigned to exercise for 12 sessions in one of three conditions. In the “social partner condition”, two participants exercised together and also discussed personal topics. In the “non-social partner condition”, two participants exercised together, but did not discuss personal topics. Lastly, in the “exercise alone condition”, participants exercised alone. In general, it was hypothesized that the social partner condition would lead to the greatest improvements in satisfaction of the psychological need for relatedness, subjective vitality, motivation to exercise, amount of physical activity, fitness level, affect, interest, and effort in exercise. Non-social partners were expected to experience some benefits from exercising with a partner, but not to the same extent as those in the social partner condition. Participants who exercised alone were expected to experience the fewest improvements. The partner relationships were also examined more closely, with the expectation that pairings that were more interpersonally complementary (that is, more similar on affiliation, and reciprocal on dominance) would positively affect outcomes. Further, partners were expected to become more similar in their exercise behaviour and motivation due to their repeated interactions over the course of the study. A one-month follow-up session assessed whether motivation and exercise behaviour observed at the end of the study changed or were sustained over time. The hypotheses were partially supported. Overall, exercise contributed to improved vitality, fitness, and affect, with few differences amongst the conditions. Participants in both partner conditions reported greater relatedness, or social connection, after a month of exercising together, than the exercise alone condition participants. Some interesting motivational patterns emerged at the end of the study and at a one-month follow-up, with some indication that the social partner condition most greatly benefited motivation. Interpersonal complementarity positively impacted competence, relatedness, and fitness, but surprisingly had a negative impact on vitality. Partners did not become more similar to one another over the course of the study, suggesting a lack of mutual influence. The findings are discussed within the context of Self-Determination Theory and Social Facilitation. These findings contribute to a growing body of literature that indicates that the social aspects of physical activity are essential for physical and mental wellbeing. Further research is required to evaluate how social factors can be utilized to promote greater enjoyment of and adherence to physical activity.

Previous research has indicated that exercising with other people improves interest and engagement in physical activity (e.g., Christensen, Schmidt, Budtz-Jorgensen, & Avlund, 2006; Estabrooks & Carron, 1999). However, the degree of socializing with other people engaged in by exercisers has not been manipulated in previous studies. In the present study, the amount of socializing during exercise was manipulated in order to evaluate the effect of social connection on motivation to exercise. Two perspectives on the role of socializing in exercising were considered and discussed – Social Facilitation (Zajonc, 1965) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2000). In order to test the importance of social contact during exercise, previously inactive women between the ages of 18-30 were randomly assigned to exercise for 12 sessions in one of three conditions. In the “social partner condition”, two participants exercised together and also discussed personal topics. In the “non-social partner condition”, two participants exercised together, but did not discuss personal topics. Lastly, in the “exercise alone condition”, participants exercised alone. In general, it was hypothesized that the social partner condition would lead to the greatest improvements in satisfaction of the psychological need for relatedness, subjective vitality, motivation to exercise, amount of physical activity, fitness level, affect, interest, and effort in exercise. Non-social partners were expected to experience some benefits from exercising with a partner, but not to the same extent as those in the social partner condition. Participants who exercised alone were expected to experience the fewest improvements. The partner relationships were also examined more closely, with the expectation that pairings that were more interpersonally complementary (that is, more similar on affiliation, and reciprocal on dominance) would positively affect outcomes. Further, partners were expected to become more similar in their exercise behaviour and motivation due to their repeated interactions over the course of the study. A one-month follow-up session assessed whether motivation and exercise behaviour observed at the end of the study changed or were sustained over time. The hypotheses were partially supported. Overall, exercise contributed to improved vitality, fitness, and affect, with few differences amongst the conditions. Participants in both partner conditions reported greater relatedness, or social connection, after a month of exercising together, than the exercise alone condition participants. Some interesting motivational patterns emerged at the end of the study and at a one-month follow-up, with some indication that the social partner condition most greatly benefited motivation. Interpersonal complementarity positively impacted competence, relatedness, and fitness, but surprisingly had a negative impact on vitality. Partners did not become more similar to one another over the course of the study, suggesting a lack of mutual influence. The findings are discussed within the context of Self-Determination Theory and Social Facilitation. These findings contribute to a growing body of literature that indicates that the social aspects of physical activity are essential for physical and mental wellbeing. Further research is required to evaluate how social factors can be utilized to promote greater enjoyment of and adherence to physical activity.

Syftet med den här kvalitativa studien var att undersöka, beskriva och analysera hur högstadieelever upplever att bedömning påverkar samarbete vid grupparbete. Studien har ett socialpsykologiskt perspektiv och för att kunna undersöka elevers upplevelser användes fokusgrupper. Deltagarna var högstadieelever (N=54) och datainsamlingen utfördes i 12 fokusgrupper på tre skolor i två städer. Resultatet illustrerar hur elevers upplevelse av att bli bedömda vid grupparbete kan leda till ett destruktivt samarbete med bedömningsstress och ojämställdhet men även till ett konstruktivt samarbete med gemenskapande och bedömningstillfredsställelse. Eleverna föredrog lärarbedömning framför kamratbedömning och ansåg att lärarbedömning hade störst påverkan på samarbetet vid grupparbete. I diskussionen problematiseras resultatet med hjälp av Social interdependence theory, begreppen social loafing, social facilitation samt genus. Studien bidrar till ökade kunskaper kring hur elever upplever att bedömning vid grupparbete kan leda till ett destruktivt samarbete som kan liknas vid ett samarbete i grupp men även till ett konstruktivt samarbete som kan ses som ett samarbete som grupp.

No description available.

This diploma thesis is an empirical ethnographic study of forms of support for LGBTQ+ students in all types of schools from primary school to university. The monitored topic is Institutional provision of the LGBTQ+ support network and the establishment of extra- curricular support groups for LGBTQ+ pupils. The aim of the work is to verify the provision of LGBTQ+ support and to specify the functioning of extracurricular support groups. The study then focuses focus on the potential problems students identify when seeking support in school and on the problems of articulation of identity at critical moments in school education. Using the qualitative Grounded Theory method revealed the conditions for providing support in both schools and LGBTQ+ support groups. Due to the COVID19 pandemic, data collection has moved into virtual space. Using online semi-structured interviews, LGBTQ+ students described the problems of accessibility of support in schools and problems surrounding the articulation of identity at critical moments in school education.and the problems surrounding the articulation of identity at critical moments in school education. Potential problems were also articulated by the founders of LGBTQ+ support groups. The results of Grounded Theory method revealed direct influence of the...