Select and defend one of current theory of social facilitation,supporting your points with evidence drawn from empirical studies of performance when alone and with others.

One current theory of social facilitation is the evaluation apprehension theory, which suggests that the presence of others enhances performance when individuals are motivated to make a good impression on others. This theory proposes that individuals are concerned about how they are being evaluated by others, and this concern can either facilitate or hinder their performance, depending on the task and their level of expertise.

Support for this theory comes from empirical studies such as the one conducted by Cottrell (1972), where participants were asked to perform a simple task in the presence of an audience. The results showed that participants performed better when they believed they were being evaluated by the audience, compared to when they believed they were not being evaluated. This supports the idea that the presence of others can enhance performance when individuals are concerned about how they are being evaluated.

Furthermore, Zajonc (1965) conducted a study where participants were asked to perform a simple task in the presence of others, and their performance was compared to when they performed the task alone. The results showed that the presence of others enhanced performance on simple tasks, but hindered performance on complex tasks. This supports the evaluation apprehension theory, as it suggests that the presence of others can facilitate performance when individuals are motivated to make a good impression, but can hinder performance when the task is complex and the presence of others causes distraction or arousal.

In conclusion, the evaluation apprehension theory provides a compelling explanation for social facilitation, as it is supported by empirical evidence showing that the presence of others can enhance performance when individuals are motivated to make a good impression. This theory highlights the importance of social context and motivation in understanding the effects of others on individual performance.