Maze and runway performance of cockroaches was observed under solitary and social conditions in an attempt to test the drive theory of social facilitation. In Experiment I cockroaches were observed under two types of social treatments, coaction and audience. In both treatments maze performance was impaired while runway performance was facilitated when compared to performance of subjects in solitary conditions. In Experiment II the effects of reduced presence of conspecifics were investigated. Experiment I generated results that were in support of the hypothesis that the mere presence of conspecifics is a source of general arousal that enhances the emission of dominant responses. The results of Experiment II suggested that partial presence of conspecifics may have distracting effects.
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