What is social facilitation?

Social facilitation refers to the phenomenon where an individual's performance on a task can be influenced by the presence of others, typically leading to enhanced performance on tasks that are well-practiced or familiar. The correct answer highlights that people are more likely to perform better on tasks that they are already skilled in when they are in front of an audience or peers.

This occurs because the presence of others can increase arousal and motivation, which tends to boost performance on tasks that require a high level of skill or are already well-learned. Conversely, tasks that are complex or unfamiliar may lead to increased anxiety or pressure, causing a decline in performance, which aligns with the understanding that social facilitation is contingent upon the nature of the task being performed.

By focusing on the context of well-known tasks, the answer accurately reflects the research surrounding social facilitation, illustrating how audience effects can benefit performance in specific circumstances.