Social Facilitation Research Articles

Effects of neonatal N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor blockade on social facilitation of feeding behavior in adult rats.

Glutamate and one of its ionotropic receptor subtypes, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, are essential for brain development after birth. Rats that underwent NMDA receptor blockade during the neonatal period have been validated as models of schizophrenia. Social facilitation, a phenomenon where an individual's performance is promoted in the presence of others, reflects the ability to regulate behavior depending on social situations and is likely to be disrupted in schizophrenia. This study investigated the effects of neonatal treatment with MK-801, an NMDA receptor antagonist, on the social facilitation of feeding behavior in adult rats. Under noncompetitive conditions, SAL-treated control rats showed increased food intake when feeding with another rat, whereas MK-801-treated rats did not. Under competitive conditions, SAL-treated rats tended to feed more in the presence of a competitor compared to feeding alone. In contrast, MK-801-treated rats exhibited a significant reduction in food intake in the presence of a competitor. Thus, MK-801-treated rats demonstrated a lack of social facilitation under noncompetitive conditions and social inhibition under competitive conditions. These findings suggest that neonatal NMDA receptor blockade disrupts the ability of rats to regulate their behavior depending on their social situation. Our findings may provide new insights into the social deficits associated with schizophrenia and their underlying mechanisms.

Eavesdropping and audience effect in fighting fruit flies reveal feedback between social information use and production

Eavesdropping and audience effect in fighting fruit flies reveal feedback between social information use and production

The Effect of Cooperation with Conspecifics on a Pigeon’s Behavior under the Random Ratio Schedule

Abstract Social behavior involves interactions among individuals of the same species, and the presence or behavior of other individuals plays important roles. An individual’s performance in any particular task is improved or facilitated when others are present. The phenomenon of social facilitation has been studied for over a century, and it has implications for important behaviors like substance use, gambling, or choice behavior. The present study aimed to explore how the presence of conspecifics affects the behaviors of pigeons under a random ratio schedule. Four homing pigeons were used in various conditions to analyze response rates and bout-pause patterns. Experimental conditions were set up to examine the effects of conspecifics based on the following factors: the mere presence of conspecifics, simultaneous engagement in the same task, and sharing gains. Pigeon performance in each condition was compared based on the response rate and bout-and-pause patterns of key pecking behavior. The results suggest that sharing gain would work as an abolishing operation, although it does not produce a systematic effect on bout-pause patterns.

Validation and adaptation of the Serbian adaptation of the Marijuana Effect Expectancies Questionnaire among adolescents

Background/Aim. Expectancies about the effects of cannabis have been related to the onset and frequency of its consumption. One of the most used instruments to measure cannabis effect expectancies is the Marijuana Effect Expectancy Questionnaire (MEEQ). The aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the Serbian adaptation of the MEEQ among secondary school pupils. Methods. The retrospective study included 1,642 secondary school pupils (52.3% female) from the South Backa District, Vojvodina, Serbia. In addition to the MEEQ, the Cannabis Use Intention Questionnaire (CUIQ) was also used, as well as a self-report measure of cannabis use. Results. The original six-factor MEEQ model showed the best fit indices with the following factors: Cognitive and Behavioral Impairment, Relaxation and Tension Reduction, Social and Sexual Facilitation, Perceptual and Cognitive Enhancement, Global Negative Effects, and Craving and Physical Effects. All MEEQ scales showed positive and expected correlations with the CUIQ scales, among which the highest correlation was with the Attitudes toward Consumption scale. Correlations with self-report cannabis use were significant for all MEEQ scales, except for Cognitive and Behavioral Impairment. Conclusion. The results suggested good psychometric properties of the Serbian adaptation of the MEEQ. The results also confirmed the originally proposed factor structure, good reliabilities of the scales? scores based on internal consistency, as well as convergent and criterion validity.

Is provisioning rate of parents and helpers influenced by the simulated presence of novel individuals?

Cooperative behaviour is widespread in animals and is likely to be the result of multiple selective pressures. A contentious hypothesis is that helping enhances the probability of obtaining a sexual partner (i.e., confers direct benefits through sexual selection). Under this hypothesis, cooperative behaviours may have evolved into a signal. Consequently, we would expect individuals to enhance cooperation when a potential mate is present, to signal their status and quality. We evaluated this possibility in the cooperatively breeding sociable weaver (Philetairus socius). We simulated the presence of different types of individuals using a playback to test whether the simulated presence of an unknown individual, possibly a potential mate, increases provisioning rate in two classes of cooperating birds : breeders and helpers. If the signal is the provisioning rate in itself we expected increased feeding rates of male helpers during the simulated presence of an unknown female. Contrary to our predictions, the simulated presence in the audience of an unknown individual did not influence the nestling provisioning rate of birds of any sex and class. From these results, we conclude that in this species the variation in provisioning rate is unlikely to be used as a signal in a sexual selection context. However, we also highlight the limitations of our methods and suggest improvements that future studies should incorporate when testing audience effects on cooperation.Significance statementAnimals may cooperate to gain direct benefits, like attracting mates. This happens for example in humans. In species where cooperation leads to direct sexual benefits, when the appropriate audience is present, (i.e., a potential mate), helpers should enhance their cooperation. To determine whether helping to raise others’ young varies according to who is watching, we used playbacks to simulate the presence of unknown individuals of opposite sex (potential mates) while helpers were feeding young. Helping, quantified here as number of times food was brought to the chicks over an hour, was not affected by the simulated audience. We concluded that in sociable weavers variation in provisioning rate is unlikely to be a signal to obtain direct sexual benefits.

Lying as a compensatory mechanism in adolescents with intellectual disabilities

The purpose of this study was to determine how adolescents with intellectual disabilities use lying as a compensatory mechanism. We were particularly interested in observing how these adolescents’ resort to lying as a social facilitation mechanism. The study involved 33 adolescents with intellectual disabilities aged between 14 and 18 years (M = 15.88, SD = 1.45), of whom 24 were boys (72.7%) and 9 were girls (27.3%). The results showed that adolescents with intellectual disabilities use lying as a compensatory mechanism to cope with the social challenges they face. These perspectives offer practical implications for supporting adolescents with intellectual disabilities in navigating social environments, meeting relational needs, and adapting to the demands of an ever-changing environment.

Does Social Monitoring Reduce Procrastination? Findings from a Five-Day Study

The present study examined how a combined approach (i.e., goal-setting and social facilitation via social media) affects procrastination. In this five-day online experimental study, our participants (N = 191, aged 17–43; 135 women) set a four-day plan for a new or ongoing academic project on Day 1. On Days 2–5, they followed through with the plan and made postings on social media – post both the plans and progress (n = 44), plans only (n = 51), progress only (n = 50), or neutral memes (n = 46). Participants who posted plans, plan and progress, and neutral memes experienced lower motivation on Day 1 than on Day 5. Furthermore, when task complexity was low, those who posted their plans on social media reported less procrastination on Day 5 than those who posted neutral memes. These findings highlight the effectiveness of the combined approach in tackling procrastination, which has important theoretical and practical implications.

Ballroom Dancing for People With Multiple Sclerosis: Perceptions of the Experience.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) encompasses various symptoms, including fatigue, pain, spasticity, motor dysfunction, postural instability, sexual and bladder dysfunction, and cognitive impairment. Despite the documented benefits of exercise for alleviating MS symptoms, adherence to physical activity guidelines often is low, resulting in sedentary lifestyles among people with MS. This qualitative study explores the experiences of individuals with MS who participated in a ballroom dance intervention. Thirteen community-dwelling individuals with MS participated in five 1-hour focus group sessions as part of a larger ballroom dance study. The Framework Method, utilizing NVivo qualitative analysis software, was applied to verbatim transcripts. Four themes emerged. (1) Physical and psychological benefits: Ballroom dance improved perceived symptoms, including strength, endurance, coordination, and balance, as well as reduced fatigue and alleviated depression. (2) Positive social support leading to enjoyment/fun: Ballroom dance fostered positive support and served as an enjoyable activity, including for couples. (3) Improved confidence: The dance intervention instilled confidence in physical abilities and emotional well-being. (4) Physical and social facilitation of activity: Ballroom dancing facilitated activity because partners were able to assist when fatigue or balance issues occurred, and the intervention provided social acceptability. Recreational ballroom or social dance was well tolerated, and individuals with MS and researchers perceived it as beneficial as it led to positive physical and psychological changes. This partnered social dance intervention provided an emotionally and physically supportive environment, improved confidence, and facilitated activity. This study contributes to the understanding of the potential of recreational ballroom dancing to promote physical activity and well-being among people who are living with MS.

Research on the impact mechanism of knowledge co-creation virtual teachers on learner creativity: From the perspective of social facilitation

Research on the impact mechanism of knowledge co-creation virtual teachers on learner creativity: From the perspective of social facilitation

Influence of Drinking Context and Age of Onset on Alcohol Consumption Patterns and Motivations Among Uruguayan Adults.

An early age of drinking onset is linked to a greater likelihood of alcohol-related problems. Alcohol use occurs in places featuring characteristic social groups, and different drinking contexts are associated with different levels of alcohol-related outcomes. Drinking context may affect drinking motives, expectations or alcohol-related outcomes in concert with individual-level variables. The study aimed to examine how the preferred drinking context and age of the first drink affects the occurrence and volume of alcohol use, drinking motives and alcohol-related expectations. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay, from September 2020 to January 2021. Uruguayan citizens ≥18 years old were asked about their preferred drinking context, the age of first alcohol use and alcohol consumption frequency. In addition, the Drinking Motives Questionnaire and Alcohol Outcome Expectancies Questionnaire were used. A total of 752 Uruguayan citizens were included. The distribution of alcohol consumption across social contexts was not influenced by the age of first alcohol use. Those who began drinking early and endorsed solitary drinking reported higher frequency of drinking (P <0.05) and coping motives (P <0.05) than any other group. Those who drank at parties reported more conformity motives than most of the groups (P <0.01). An early age of drinking onset was associated with greater enhancement and social motives (P <0.05) and higher alcohol expectancies for stress reduction and social facilitation (P <0.005). Solitary drinking as a high-risk drinking context is likely to interact with the age of first alcohol use, suggesting that drinking in specific contexts is associated with specific drinking motivations and expectancies. This study represents progress towards exploring factors that influence alcohol consumption among a broader range of socio-cultural populations.

Psychometric properties and invariance testing of the Cannabis Refusal Self-Efficacy Scale in a Chilean sample

ABSTRACT Background: Cannabis refusal self-efficacy (CRSE), as the people´s belief about their capacity to resist cannabis, has been probed to predict cannabis use and related behaviors. The CRSE Questionnaire (CRSEQ) has 14 items grouped into Emotional Relief Self-Efficacy (6 items), Opportunistic Self-Efficacy (5 items), and Social Facilitation (3 items), forming a CRSE higher-order factor. Objective: To validate the CRSEQ for its use in the Chilean population. Method: The CRSEQ was administered to 1,275 individuals aged 12 to 77 (835 females). Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to evaluate 14-item and 19-item models. Estimates of internal consistency, temporal stability, and convergent validity with cannabis use behaviors and reward sensitivity were obtained. Additionally, three multigroup invariance tests were conducted. Results: Both models exhibited good fit indices. The 14-item model showed χ2 (74) = 245.662, p < .001, CFI = .974, RMSEA = .047, indicating slightly better fit compared to the 19-item model, which showed χ2 (149) = 559.596, p < .001, CFI = .958, RMSEA = .051. Both models showed strong internal consistency (α = .80 to .96 for the 14-item model, α = .80 to .96 for the 19-item model), moderate to high temporal stability (ICCs 14-item model/ 19-item model: ERSE = .77/.78, OSE = .88/.89, SF = .82/.82), and significant convergent validity (correlations with cannabis use behaviors: .22 to .58). Conclusion: The better fit of the 14-item model makes it suitable for most applications. Convergent validity and multigroup invariance analyses confirmed the questionnaire’s equivalence across sex, age groups, and cannabis use problem status. This allows for meaningful comparisons of cannabis refusal self-efficacy between different demographic groups, facilitating its applicability in diverse settings such as educational institutions and substance use treatment centers.

Neural bases of social facilitation and inhibition: how peer presence affects elementary eye movements.

Social Facilitation/Inhibition (SFI) refers to how others' presence influences task performance positively or negatively. Our previous study revealed that peer presence modulated saccadic eye movements, a fundamental sensorimotor activity. Pro- and anti-saccades were either facilitated or inhibited depending on trial block complexity (Tricoche et al., 2020). In the present fMRI study, we adapted our paradigm to investigate the neural basis of SFI on saccades. Considering inter- and intra-individual variabilities, we evaluated the shared and distinct neural patterns between social facilitation and inhibition. We predicted an involvement of the saccade-related and attention networks, alongside the Theory-of-Mind (ToM) network, with opposite activity changes between facilitation and inhibition. Results confirmed peer presence modulation in fronto-parietal areas related to saccades and attention, in opposite directions for facilitation and inhibition. Additionally, the ventral attention network was modulated during inhibition. Default mode regions, including ToM areas, were also modulated. Finally, pupil size, often linked to arousal, increased with peers and correlated with dorsal attention regions and anterior insula activities. These results suggest that SFI engages task-specific and domain-general networks, modulated differently based on observed social effect. Attention network seemed to play a central role at both basic (linked to arousal or vigilance) and cognitive control levels.

Audience presence influences cognitive task performance in chimpanzees

Human cognitive performance can be significantly influenced by the presence of audience members. While often associated with reputation management, which is considered uniquely human, it is unclear to what degree this phenomenon is shared with non-human animals. To investigate such audience effects in chimpanzees, we recorded the performance of six chimpanzees on three different numerical touch screen tasks varying in difficulty and cognitive demand, in the presence of variable audience member compositions over six years. Our results indicated that chimpanzee performance was influenced by the number and types of audience present. Performance increased for the most difficult task as the experimenter count increased, while for the easiest task, performance decreased as familiar audience and experimenter count increased. This suggests that audience effects on cognitive processing can be found in chimpanzees and that the evolutionary roots of this trait may date back to before the development of reputation-based normative societies in humans.

Persuasive design principle of social support in digital interventions targeting mental health symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveThis systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the available evidence on efficacy of social support strategies, as defined by the persuasive system design framework, in internet-based and mobile-based interventions (IMI) targeting...

Political PR in International Digital Communications: The Experience of the Eurasian Media Space

Digital media has become an integral part of the political life of citizens, as an increasing number of people around the world use digital media technologies for communication. Digital media contribute to the formation of socio-political factors that raise concerns about the spread of disinformation, information disagreements and political polarization.Aim. To analyze the tools, problems and opportunities of political PR in the context of digitalization of the media space in foreign countries and the EAEU countries.Tasks. To give significant ideas about the concepts of “political public relations” and “political communication”; to identify factors influencing political communication processes; to present international experience in the application of political PR in the context of digitalization of media; to formulate the possibilities for the development of Eurasian integration in the context of digitalization of the media space.Methods. The methodological basis of the scientific research was such modern general scientific research methods as: comparative analysis, statistical and structural-logical methods, content analysis of open sources of information.Results. The paper defines the role and importance of digital media in political PR activities, identifies traditional and modern factors of influence on political activity, as well as problems in the new digital reality. To build political communications with the audience, its impact and increase engagement, political organizations use new media technologies using multimodality. In practice, the digital inequality of the world population deprives a number of people of digital communication, and as a result, the necessary conditions for participation in the political and economic life of the country. The digital divide of the EAEU countries reduces the political communicative impact on citizens’ beliefs in the need to strengthen integration processes. It seems appropriate to introduce consistency in the formation of the Eurasian integration agenda and a single digital information field to increase the political culture of civic engagement in all EAEU member states.Conclusions. With the help of variation of resources, the necessary content is formed to create the necessary audience effect. Indeed, digital media has a number of advantages that have been proven in practice, however, political PR is influenced by the negative side of the development of digital communications — the spread of fake news, most of which cannot be traced to the source. Therefore, the transformation of digital opportunities, the distribution of political resources, the dissemination of political discourse and the structure of political opportunities in the digital age is the most relevant in the modern world. Using the example of the EAEU countries, it is proved that digitalization in the international media space causes the involvement of citizens of different countries in integration, generalization and formation of public support for the state.

The social ledger: qualitatively decoding interaction-driven investment decisions among Indian investors and fund managers

Purpose This study aims to investigate the antecedents of social interaction among Indian retail investors and fund managers to understand how these factors influence investment decisions. By identifying and examining these antecedents, the study aims to shed light on the social dynamics that shape investment behavior in the Indian financial market. Design/methodology/approach The researchers have mainly adopted an interpretive strategy for the present study. Qualitative data elicited through semistructured interviews with six retail investors and two fund managers were subjected to qualitative thematic analysis. Findings Our research found several factors that make Indian retail investors and fund managers connect and make financial decisions. Peers can improve a person’s investing performance through social facilitation, and discussing investment suggestions and lessons learned can affect a group’s investment behavior. Social norms also influenced investors’ financial decisions, demonstrating compliance. Investor closeness increased information sharing. Finally, the fear of missing out (FOMO), a psychological phenomenon where people fear missing out on rewarding experiences, encouraged social engagement as investors sought appealing prospects. Research limitations/implications The researchers interviewed eight carefully selected interviewees across the divide between retail investors and fund managers. Adopting other grouping criteria, conducting a focus group discussion with more respondents or adopting a mixed-methods approach may increase our understanding of the investment decision behaviors of Indian retail investors and fund managers. Practical implications The findings have far-reaching consequences, from deepening our knowledge of investors’ motivations and actions to directing individual savers, informing the development of financial literacy initiatives, influencing fund management practices and inspiring additional research in this study area. Originality/value This research, including retail investors and fund managers, significantly contributes to the literature on investment decisions and behavioral finance, particularly in the context of Indian investors and managers. This study’s unique perspective and comprehensive approach make it a valuable addition to the field, sparking interest and further exploration among academics, practitioners and investors alike.

Exploring horses’ (Equus caballus) gaze and asymmetric ear position in relation to human attentional cues

Studies have shown that horses are sensitive to human attentional cues. Also, there is some evidence that they might be able to infer the knowledge state of a human and communicate intentionally with us. However, this ability is not fully characterized and certain behaviors, like gaze, asymmetric ears position or vocalizations, which could work as attention-getting behaviors, have been scarcely studied in this context. The aim of the present study was to assess whether horses’ gaze toward a person, asymmetric ears position and vocalizations are subject to audience effects and adjust to human attentional cues, which would suggest a communicative function. For this purpose, we adapted a protocol used with domestic dogs [Kaminski et al. 2017] and observed horses’ spontaneous behavior (gaze, asymmetric ears position and vocalizations) in the presence of a human holding and not holding food in an attentive position (facing the horse with open eyes) and in a non-attentive position (with her back turned towards the horse). We found significant evidence of horses being sensitive to human attentional cues (reflected in the horses’ gaze duration and asymmetric position of the ears), but not of intentional communication towards humans.

Higher, Faster, Further: Performance Heterogeneity and Social Facilitation in Professional Track and Field

To explore the effects of COVID-19-related spectator variations on elite track and field athletes, the current article measures individual outcomes according to World Athletics Scores and then leverages these measures in fixed effects regression models to gauge athletes’ performance. Using a dataset of 5284 observations over 6 years and controlling for athlete, venue, and discipline fixed effects, as well as competition characteristics, we address task complexity and task experience. Thereby, we establish that field (in more complex tasks) but not track athletes (in simpler tasks) benefit from spectator exclusion. Furthermore, younger rather than older (more experienced) track athletes benefit from the lack of spectators, implying that experienced athletes handle social pressure better.

Social Forestry in West Sumatra: A Review on Regulation and Its Implementation in Hutan Nagari Salibutan

Social forestry is a program designed to address tenure conflicts, improve community welfare, and enhance environmental quality. Achieving the objectives of social forestry is not only limited to obtaining permits but needs more advanced, concrete, innovative business development that anticipates future challenges and prospects. Therefore, this research aimed to analyze West Sumatra Governor Regulation No. 52/2018 on the Implementation of Social Forestry Facilitation and its practical application in Hutan Nagari Salibutan. Data collection in this research included in-depth interviews and a literature review, while data analysis used descriptive qualitative methods, content analysis, and policy implementation. The results showed that Governor Regulation of West Sumatra No. 52/2018 supported national policy by accelerating social forestry, resolving tenure conflicts, and synchronizing the roles of various stakeholders. This Governor Regulation served as the technical reference in the field, and it comprised facilitation, institutionalization, monitoring and evaluation, and financing. Additionally, the implementation of regulations in Salibutan Nagari Forest correlated with these provisions, as evidenced by the activities carried out by the Forestry Service and the social forestry acceleration working group in collaboration with the Nagari Salibutan forest management institution. The consistency between the regulation's content and field implementation reflected this correlation.

Special Survival Strategy of First-Instar Scorpions Revealed by Synchronous Molting Behavior from Social Facilitation of Maternal Care and Reciprocal Aggregation.

Ecdysis is a well-known developmental feature among arthropods. Because the aggregate and synchronous molting of first-instar scorpions is markedly different from the common independent molting behavior of older scorpions and most arthropods, knowledge on the biological benefits of the unusual behavior of first-instar scorpions remain limited. Before the molting of newborn scorpions, their mothers exhibited a remarkable ability to efficiently locate the fallen offspring and help them climb onto their back, which was supported by strong maternal behavior because they climbed more swiftly than the 7-day postpartum scorpions. Most newborn scorpions molted and survived on the mother's back, with a survival rate of approximately 100%, and most newborn scorpions survived via aggregate molting behavior on sand in the absence of mothers (89.83% ± 1.91%). The important role of the mother scorpion was further highlighted in mothers with one to five first-instar scorpions. While all first-instar scorpions individually or reciprocally molted and survived on the mother's back, only 52.00% ± 7.14% to 79.20% ± 4.24% of newborn scorpions isolated from the mother could individually or reciprocally molt and survive on the sand, and the aggregated states of first-instar scorpions strengthened as their numbers on sand increased before molting. These results highlight collaborative molting as an evolutionary driving force for newborn scorpions. Taken together, both maternal care and collaborative aggregate molting behavior enhanced the survival of first-instar scorpions before and after molting, and these benefits for first-instar scorpions play essential and evolutionary roles in scorpion survival.