An Analysis of Gymnastic Performance under Conditions of Practice and Spectator Observation

Abstract

Abstract After initially practicing a gymnastic routine in the presence of 17 coactors and casual spectators, 45 students in a gymnastic class were asked to perform the routine either alone or in the presence of 17 spectators from another class. One group of students who performed in front of spectators was given a prior warning of the impending spectator observation, while another group was given no such warning. Although subjects in all three conditions tended to perform more poorly during the second session, in the two spectator conditions the more highly skilled subjects showed greater decrements in performance than the relatively less skilled subjects. This effect was greater in the warning condition than in the no warning condition. The results of this study support both an anticipated evaluation of audience effects (cf. Cottrell, 4) and the Broen and Storms (2) modification of Hull-Spence theory.