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Related Experiment Videos

The trouble with friendly faces: skilled performance with a supportive audience

J L Butler1, R F Baumeister

  • 1Department of Psychology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7123, USA.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|December 29, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Supportive audiences can hinder performance on difficult tasks, leading to "choking" under pressure. This study reveals that while performers prefer supportive observers, this preference may paradoxically impair objective success.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Performance Studies

Background:

  • Supportive audiences are often perceived as beneficial for performance.
  • However, anecdotal evidence suggests they can sometimes lead to performance decrements, a phenomenon known as "choking" under pressure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of supportive audiences on performance in skill-based tasks.
  • To determine if audience support influences strategy selection and objective performance outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Three experiments were conducted using a difficult, skill-based task.
  • Participants were observed by either supportive, nonsupportive, or no audiences.
  • Performance metrics included success rates, speed, and accuracy.

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Main Results:

  • Supportive audiences were associated with performance decrements on difficult tasks.
  • On easy tasks, supportive audiences had no significant effect.
  • Supportive audiences prompted cautious strategies, reducing speed without improving accuracy.

Conclusions:

  • Contrary to performer perception, supportive audiences can impair objective success on challenging tasks.
  • Individuals may prioritize emotional comfort over optimal performance when observed by supportive audiences.
  • Awareness of the detrimental effects of supportive audiences is limited.