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The effects of initial habit strength differences upon performance in a coaction situation
1a Faculty of Physical Education , University of Western Ontario.
Journal of Motor Behavior
|August 22, 2013
Summary
Initial habit strength impacts performance in coaction settings. However, coaction did not significantly alter performance based on habit strength, contrary to hypotheses.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Habit strength is a key factor influencing response selection and performance.
- Coaction, performing a task in the presence of others, can modulate individual behavior.
- Previous research suggests coaction effects vary depending on task complexity and individual differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how pre-existing differences in habit strength affect performance in a coaction setting.
- To determine if coaction interacts with habit strength to enhance or impair performance.
- To compare performance in coaction versus alone conditions.
Main Methods:
- A habit-strength hierarchy was established for four alternative responses in three groups via differential response expectancy training.
- Participants completed a task in either a coaction or alone condition during a test session.
- Performance and consistency of performance were measured.
Main Results:
- Pretraining on the correct habit significantly affected both performance and consistency.
- No statistically significant interaction was found between coaction and habit-strength condition.
- No significant differences in performance were observed between coaction and alone conditions.
Conclusions:
- Initial habit strength is a significant determinant of performance, even in social settings.
- The presence of others (coaction) did not differentially affect performance based on the strength of the pre-established habit.
- Further research is needed to understand the nuanced effects of social facilitation and inhibition in relation to learned behaviors.
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