The Influence of Social Contexts on Motor and Cognitive Performance: Performing Alone, in Front of Others, or Coacting With Others

Abstract

Group settings can help or hinder performances. We conducted two studies in a sporting context. Participants performed alone and in groups in which the other participants served as spectators or as coactors. In Study 1, 33 CrossFit athletes performed a timed fine motor task (stacking cups) and a gross motor task (planks). Plank performance increased in front of spectators and in the coacting condition as compared with the alone condition, whereas stacking performances were not affected by the social context. Study 2 assessed a working memory task (three-back) and a timed obstacle course requiring primarily motor speed. Subjects were 42 sports students. Spectators led to performance deteriorations in the complex cognitive task but to improved performances in the simple motor task, supporting the predictions formulated by Strauss. Future research should investigate whether the effects are mediated by the perception of one’s own performance compared with the group or by personality traits.