Effects of audience and anxiety level on learning and performance of a complex gross motor skill by college women.

Abstract

To determine the effects of passive male and female audiences on performance and learning of a complex, gross motor skill, 144 female freshmen were selected from 4 distinct state anxiety levels based on combined scores on the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale and Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale. Within each anxiety group, Ss learned a ball-throwing task under one of three conditions with audience. Performance was adversely affected for highly anxious Ss with a male audience. Analysis of learning scores [(final score — initial score) ÷ (maximum score possible — initial score)] indicated that none of the audience conditions affected learning at any anxiety level.