Evaluation Apprehension

Evaluation Apprehension

Reviewed by Faisal Zaidi

The expectation of being judged by others, one account of why an audience changes performance.

What it is

The worry about looking foolish in front of others, which can dampen contribution and performance. It is one of the explanations put forward for why the presence of an audience helps on some tasks and hurts on others.

In effect

The article on body doubling links to it as related background on how being watched changes performance.

What it does not say

It is one explanation among several for audience effects, and the effects reported in the meta-analysis were small. It does not say that every observer makes a person anxious.

Sources

  1. Bond, C. F., & Titus, L. J. (1983). Social facilitation: A meta-analysis of 241 studies. Psychological Bulletin, 94(2), 265-292.
  2. Zajonc, R. B. (1965). Social facilitation. Science, 149(3681), 269-274.