Remember those times when you were studying alone in your room, struggling to stay awake, and then found yourself surprisingly more focused and productive when working with a group of friends? That’s social facilitation at play. Now, what is social facilitation? Keep reading!
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What is social facilitation?
Social facilitation is the method of improvement in performance induced by the real, implied, or imagined existence of others. It is not just about having someone around. It is about the energy and subtle pressure that comes with it. In its most basic form, it was first developed by researcher Norman Triplett in 1898.
He first studied bicycle racing by looking at records from a cycling association. He observed a curious matter whereby cyclists who were racing against others did better than those who were trying to beat their own efforts. Since then, countless studies have supported the idea that the presence of others can improve our performance, particularly on simple or well-practiced tasks. There are two types of social facilitation:
- Co-action effects – Refers to the fact that a performer being better on a task, merely because there are other people doing the same task as them. An example would be working at an office with coworkers.
- Audience effects – Refers to the act that performance being better because it is being done in front of an audience. An instance can be a pianist playing at home versus in front of a crowd.
Also, social facilitation is thought to involve three factors: physiological factors, cognitive factors, and affective factors.
Examples of Social Facilitation
Now that you know what is social facilitation, let’s discuss what are some examples of social facilitation in action. You have probably experienced some of these in your own life. Some examples include the following:
- Finding that you do better work if you go to a library than if you stay at home to study
- Learners joining online study groups or virtual classroom environments to learn better
- A musician/actor/performer does a better performance by having an audience
- New language learners pairing up to practice speaking, listening, and writing skills
- A peer learning session on a particular subject from a more knowledgeable individual
These examples show how you can use social facilitation to make the knowledge transfer more effective.
Implications of Social Facilitation in L&D
What implications can we add from social facilitation? In other words, why do you need to know about this concept, or why should it be important to you? Below are some techniques on how to do that:
1. Encourage collaborative learning
You can create a supportive learning environment where employees can learn from each other, share experiences, and collectively build confidence in their capabilities. It can harness the influence of peer dynamics to shape learners’ behavior. Collaborative learning cultures provide positive reinforcements that can encourage employees to get more knowledge.
By fostering a collaborative learning environment and promoting positive social interactions, trainers can create a synergistic effect that reinforces the adoption of desirable behaviors. Peer-led activities and collaborative projects can facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences, enabling learners to glean insights from each other’s successes and challenges. Engage actively in class or online forums. Asking questions and participating in discussions can help solidify your understanding and keep you engaged.
2. Use technology
You can use technology to your advantage. Virtual study sessions via Zoom or study apps that connect you with others can provide similar benefits. This collaborative learning approach involves learners working together on activities or learning tasks in a group small enough to ensure that everyone participates. Learners in the group may work on separate tasks contributing to a common overall outcome or work together on a shared task.
Moreover, it brings together various teams and presents them with a problem to solve using technology. This might be on various subjects. You can also leverage a gamified e-learning module in order to create a collaborative learning experience. To learn more about gamification, read our blog on 5 Game Mechanics to Use in eLearning with Gamification Examples.
3. Set goals and track progress
Do not simply put learners in groups with vague directions to discuss a topic. Instead, focus the discussions on a question or topical conflict. When learning in a group, set clear goals and hold each other accountable. Have a learning objective in mind. Ask these questions, would it make more sense to assign groups in a random manner, to allow peers to arrange themselves into groups, to place learners together with those whose performance has been identical? Just be sure your strategy should not be arbitrary. Regularly review each other’s progress and celebrate milestones together.
4. Provide role models
A role model is someone who has the specific skills that people strive to achieve. They can inspire others to perform better work or develop particular skills. Showcase success stories within your organization to inspire your employees and demonstrate how others have successfully navigated similar development paths before. They inspire healthy competition in the workplace. Those who work with them notice how well they perform, and it may inspire them to produce work on the same level or above their level. This atmosphere motivates everyone to place extra effort into their work and achieve new goals.
5. Simulate real-world scenarios
A scenario-based learning program offers the learners a scenario or a situation and then asks how to go forward in that given scenario. Develop training modules that mirror actual work situations, allowing your employees to apply newly acquired skills in a controlled environment, building both confidence and competence.
Scenario-based learning creates a safe environment where learners can interact socially. A scenario-based learning environment eliminates the lack of personal one-on-one engagement with instructors by providing an interactive environment for active learning. This type of learning aims to identify a solution or response to a real-life issue. Through scenario-based learning, it is possible to provide compliance training, soft skills training, professional skills training, leadership training, etc.
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How does Social Facilitation Impact Learning?
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is social facilitation?
Social facilitation is the method of improvement in performance induced by the real, implied, or imagined existence of others. It is not just about having someone around. It is about the energy and subtle pressure that comes with it.
What is the role of a social facilitator?
The role of a social facilitator is managing stakeholder engagements at all project levels, preferably from the design phase through to project completion.
What are the 3 core concepts of Bandura’s social learning theory?
The 3 core concepts of Albert Bandura’s social learning theory are:
- People learn through observation
- Mediational processes play an important role in learning
- Not all learning leads to change
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